Once they were finished, Cora and Erin left the confines of the Colonel's stuffy room in an apprehensive cloud. Erin was allowed to go back to Munro's private quarters, with a guard close upon her heels. They walked in silence, both women slowly digesting what had just happened.

It had seemed they had spent hours going over and over what would come this day, but it probably had been a very short amount of time, as Erin noticed the fort still appeared to only just be beginning its normal morning routines.

Colonel Munro had wanted to know everything; the exact place, the amount of men the opposing army had. When they would attack? How? With what weapons? What battle strategy would be used? The questions seemed like an endless fusillade. Duncan and Munro talked at her in a constant stream of crossfire, but Erin did not have an answer for everything, although she tried her best. She could feel the mood darkening with each new reveal, Munro's face hardening, his frown deepening, as it became clear there was no avoiding what would come.

All Erin could do was impress upon him the importance that he and his daughters made it onto the road to Fort Edward safely. He had to abandon the battle, it would happen with or without his presence, and he could do nothing to further the British cause. His own escape would only aid future battles... or at least this is what Erin had told him. She tried her hardest to press that his death was exactly what the French wanted, they wanted indecisive men like General Webb running the English army, not level headed leaders like Colonel Edmund Munro.

She divulged the plan she had created with Uncas' help. All of the Munro's were to use the French guards' cover to flee as soon as they were able, this would hopefully ensure their lives. Magua would be looking for all three of the Munro family and if he found them he would try and pursue them. But, with a well kept road, and upon horseback, they could easily outrun their enemies.

Erin hadn't really been able read Munro's face as she talked in that moment. He had no opinions to voice, he just listened to her proposal, distractedly picking at the golden thread of his cuff with a blunt fingernail, his expression set in a cheerless gloomy glower, a distrusting glance sent her way every now and again. Erin wasn't even sure if he had believed her words, or thought they were ramblings, or perhaps even a trap.

She had asked for the accompaniment of Nathaniel Poe and his brother and father, and this had shaken the Colonel from his morose thoughts for a moment, anger a bubbling threat that he barely managed to contain as he spoke, sternly refusing the request. She and Cora had pushed a little but Colonel Munro had been very blunt in his statement that one troublemaker was more than enough to be dealing with, his grey eyes unpredictable and volatile, as he gave Erin a long uncordial glare. She could have sworn when she'd first met him his eyes were a clear startling blue, but now within the depths of that dark room, there appeared to be flecks of gold and brown, each colour a direct link to his daughters, a plain statement of warning that at the slightest hint of Erin's betrayal, he would not hesitate to strike.

Erin had begrudgingly accepted the portent and relented, understanding she could expect no more. Uncas had been right, Munro would never trust her.

Now, whatever happened in the next few hours could not be changed. A course was set and they all had to weather it.

Erin could still feel her companions uneasiness as they walked down the corridors and caught a few unsure and anxious glances sent her way when Cora thought she was not paying attention.

"Thank you," Erin finally said, dispelling the awkward silence, "for standing up for me."

"What else could I do?" Cora countered sharply but then sighed and softened. "I only hope you will tell me everything, soon."

"I will, I promise. When we are safe. I's best... this way." Erin looked away, biting her lip, knowing this was a weak reply. "Just trust me, please?"

Cora nodded once. "Then, I will ask another promise from you."

"Sure," Erin said, caught unawares.

"Say nothing to Alice." Cora looked away, suddenly appearing ashamed for keeping these secrets from her sister. "She has been through so much, she is used to..." Cora hesitated, "everything this place is not. I do not wish her to know of any violence to come. I want to protect her if I can. She is already suffering greatly in the aftereffects of our journey here, she barely sleeps, and when she does she awakens in fear from bad dreams." Cora paused, taking a deep breath and gathering herself back from encroaching distress. "Her constitution has always been fragile."

Erin considered Cora's words, feeling a small pang of guilt for her own transgressions against Alice but also some fluttering disagreement, Alice wasn't fragile, just sheltered. "Okay, I promise." Erin felt she could only oblige. "I think she'll be alright. I know it hasn't been easy for her. But, I mean, she seems okay, right?" Erin felt like she was trying to persuade herself just as much Cora in this moment. She'd already been wrong about so many things here.

"Yes, she hasn't hidden away at least." Cora sighed. "I thought she would. Stay in bed and await to be rescued. But she has hardly left my father's side."

"Yes!" Erin felt suddenly elated by the prospect. "I've seen her with your father once or twice, out while he's inspecting the troops. She seems quite content," Erin tried to reassure.

"She is his little shadow," Cora said with sweet fondness. "Having my father beside her has given her some strength, he always did. I am happy to see it. I really don't want her to know... about what you think may happen to him Erin... I fear it would shatter her."

"I understand you're worried... but maybe Alice... I mean maybe it would be less of a shock if she knew a little of what was to come?" Erin pushed, unsure.

Cora shook her head. "No, I can protect her. We will be riding onto the road before she sees much of anything. I don't want to give her more reasons to be afraid, worrying over ambushes and murderous men out for revenge."

Erin gave a firm nod in understanding, relenting to Cora's knowledge as the older sibling, and they continued on their way.

Alice was still sleeping when they arrived at the quarters, but awoke with a start as they entered the rooms. The solider accompanying them remained outside, guarding the only exit.

"What has happened?" Alice asked, still fuzzy with sleep.

"We have surrendered to the French, we must leave." Cora was all pragmatic calm.

Alice's eyes widened at her sister's words, her face becoming still as if nightmares had come back to haunt her all over again.

"Why is Erin bound? What is happening?"

"There is no time to explain, Alice. Father thinks she is a spy, we must be ready to go." Cora's manner didn't change, her tone as if this was a mundane experience.

"A spy? What? Why?" Alice blustered, but Cora stilled any further conversation by pushing an array of objects into her younger sister's arms.

"We must be ready."

Alice seemed to grasp some gravity of the situation and began to make herself organized.

Cora busied packing a few small items and then took some time to braid Alice's hair, securing it as best she could into a bun, and then her own, before helping Erin neaten her braid, Erin's bonds making any movement difficult.

Erin sat and watched as the two women packed what little they had away in small bags. The rising noise of people scrabbling to be ready for the evacuation, from outside and from within the barracks' very walls, buzzed around them, making everything feel frantic, and time so fleeting.

"You will tell me later?" Alice said, when they had a small pause in activities, the question breathless.

"When we are away dear one, I will tell you everything. Patience." Cora paused as if considering something. "We must be ready to ride, straight onto the road, as fast as we can. Be ready."

"Why? Cora. What will happen?"

"Nothing, I know from my experience with Papa when we left other forts, it's better to ride away quickly." She paused again, eyes flicking to Erin for only a second. "Just be ready."

Alice seemed for a moment to want to protest, but seeing her sister's sombre face she let go of her own wants and returned her attention to what was necessary.

"I wonder if I will have time to go see the men at the hospital before we leave?" Cora pondered out loud. "I must go and fetch some provisions anyway." She paused a moment in her folding of a shawl. "Poor Mr Phelps will surely wish to stay with them and see to their care. I regret having to leave them, but I suppose the French doctors will take over once we have left," she said as if comforting herself with the words.

Erin felt her body freeze.

She hadn't really thought about the people that would be left in the fort until now, only those on the road, after all it wasn't addressed in the novel; the truth only mentioned in scattered historical accounts she'd browsed through now and again. Her mind travelled across the things she'd read and heard, terrible things.

'The Indian 'doctors' came with their tomahawks and began to cure the sick and wounded.'

It was apparently a quote from a soldier's journal who had witnessed the incoming assault. Erin had distractedly listened to it one evening on some random podcast on the history of this siege, only half paying attention until those chilling words. It left her feeling unwilling to listen to any more and she had moved on to happier, safer subjects.

Erin wasn't sure how much truth lay in those accounts or how much was dramatic one sided re-telling, but the fact still stood, most of the people that remained in the fort had been killed, that was the truth. The French would not be able, or perhaps even unwilling, to protect their newly acquired sick, injured and dying prisoners.

Poor Mr Phelps... she'd spent a whole day with him helping in his frantic efforts to save these people. Cora was right, he would refuse to leave, his mind too focused upon his duty as the fort's surgeon. His nature was to remain where he was needed, so he would stay... and he would die.

The world spun for a short moment.

Outside these very walls, at this moment, was an army of disillusioned angry warriors who had only just discovered their enemy, the English, was being allowed to leave with all the spoils of war they themselves had been promised in payment for their part in this fight.

The French had betrayed them, by giving more dignity in surrender to the English than they gave the men fighting for them. Erin couldn't blame them for their intense anger, to be treated as if formal promises didn't matter, that you were beneath those that used your very body as a weapon against a foe. It was a dishonourable and grievous insult. Magua would manipulate this situation to gather them all in a pretence of gaining back honour, but the truth was to serve his own selfish plan of revenge.

Fate was inching closer as each human life was used like a piece on a chess board, furthering only the players.

There was more she knew, more she didn't want to remember. All those warriors, the ones that would come into the fort and take what they saw as rightfully theirs, would return home to their villages and families, with so much more than a weariness of war. Smallpox would run rampant in their communities, the losses uncountable.

So much suffering and death.

"Erin?" Cora's voice made Erin's wide, startled eyes fly to her friend's face.

"What is it?" Cora suddenly paled. "What have you... seen?"

Erin knew this question meant Nathaniel or Uncas had said far more to Cora than she had suspected. She wavered a moment, wanting to unburden herself and share her distress with someone else, but then her memories came like a sharp pin prick in tender flesh, Cora nursing the wounded, easing their passing, holding their frightened hands until the end.

"It's nothing." It was a mumbled denial without much conviction.

Cora placed her hands on her hips, clearly disagreeing with this half hearted stance.

Erin searched and pulled the first thing that made sense, composing herself as best she could. "I'm worried. About your father and you, and Alice."

Cora eyed her a moment, her gaze trying to detect any sign of a lie but unable to see more, she relaxed. "I know. I'm worried too." Cora returned to her work, gathering anything that may be of use. "I suppose we will have no time at all," she murmured, distracted by her tasks.

"No," Erin said, and dug her nails into her palms, taking a strange solace in the pain the pressure caused. "There is no time."

/

A/N

Friday Hallo.

I clearly have no idea at all, as this chapter is not longer than the last. I'm sorry lol I must have gotten confused with a later chapter. Oh well, I hope it was still an enjoyable time.

When I was younger I had a period of reading anything and everything I could get my hands on concerning this siege and similar situations. This one quote of the 'doctors' I remember coming across and just like Erin I was chilled and it has certainly stayed with me over the years, warfare is a murky business for all involved.

I had to put a nod in to Alice's beautiful elaborate bun that she manages to keep for all of 5 seconds in the leaving of the fort scene. What on earth happened in those seconds to make all her hair loose from such a secure looking up do, is anyone's guess ;)

Also in the movie (script or interview etc, I can't remember where I read it) I believe Mr Phelps does in fact make it out on to the road and then unfortunately dies in the ambush, but the scene didn't make it into the finished movie. So either way, poor Mr Phelps! I decided to keep him at the fort, as it felt like a good jumping off point for Erin to understand the horror of what was coming and that it affects someone she has been in contact with.

Thank you for any support sent this stories way, it is very welcome and your time is appreciated. Until next week!