A/N: Can anyone guess the Book/Movie that i took the name for Ana's horse? points to your hogwarts house if you guess correctly
Exactly fifteen minutes had passed when the Colonel returned in his impeccable uniform, hair tied back into his que. "Come girl." In defiance I stayed still and in two strides he was next to me. "You will do well to listen to me and do as ordered when i say it." He growled and grabbed my arm tightly.
"I'm not one of your men to be ordered about." I struggled to get my arm free from his grasp. "LET GO OF ME!"
"Seeing as keeping you locked up with no food didn't loosen your tongue you are to be put to work shoveling out the stables. Maybe shoveling horse crap for days will get you to talk." He paused half way down the stars and pushed me against the wall. "And don't even think about escaping. I will come after you and drag you back here myself." he hissed.
"I'd like to see you try."I retorted.
"You know as fun as that would be. If i have to come after you, you will not like the result." He growled and continued dragging me down the the stables he shoved me inside. "Also you will be taking care of my horse. There will be consequences if even the slightest thing is overlooked in regards to him." He left me there sitting in the straw.
Over the next two weeks I awoke the same way. Tavington standing there, watching me. Every morning he would ask me if there was anything that I wished to tell him. I would always answer the same and then he would escort me to the stables. In the evening he would return from whatever torment he had brought on the colonies that day and escort me back to my room.
One particular evening he was running later than normal and it was past dark and I had finished what I needed to do throughout the stables. I entered the stall that held Tavingtons horse, deciding to brush him down again. "Hey there." I smiled as I ran the brush through his coat. "I had a horse just like you once. His name was Joey. he had the same coloring as you." I ran the brush over him and he neighed in approval. "I would spend hours in the stables. It was almost impossible for my parents to get me to leave him." i finished brushing him, put down the brush in its place and came to the front of him to pet his nose. "He was named after a horse in a book I favorited." That's when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. Turning to face the noise I saw Tavington standing there leaning against the stall door. "Good evening Colonel. How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough Miss Mckenzie." He glowered and opened the stall door. He held out a carrot to the horse who ate it up quickly. He neighed I assumed in appreciation. Tavingtons eyes softened when he began to pet the horse. "I didn't know you liked horses just as much as I do. Had I known I would have had you do the laundry for the whole calvary instead." He looked at me and smirked. "Ah" my face clearly showed disgust. "There's something that may have gotten you to speak. As it is, Hercules seems fond with you. He is usually so difficult with anyone but myself. As it is you will continue to care for him." he stepped out of the stall. "Come. Cornwallis has requested or more so demanded that we attend dinner in the hall." He sounded irritated. "You'll have to clean up first. You smell of horse." I gave him a questioning look and scoffed.
"And you don't." To my surprise he let out a laugh and instead of grabbing my arm, he offered me his. I stared at his offered arm for a second before taking it and we headed to the house. He left me in my room so I could get ready for dinner. Once ready I sat down on my bed taking a moment to relax after the day of work I had. Some of the horses including Tavingtons had been difficult today. I assume because they haven't been out for a few days. All too soon there was a knock on my door. I opened it and Colonel Tavington was there to escort me down to dinner.
"Are you ready?" He said with a small smile. His voice was almost velvety.
"Colonel, nothing and I mean nothing will ever make me ready for this dinner. I would love nothing more than to just stay up here and have my dinner brought to me." He nodded in agreement.
Arriving in the dining hall O'hara approached me, taking my hand and kissing it as he bowed. "I'm so glad that you could join us this evening, Miss McKenzie." I gave a half smile as I discreetly wiped the back of my hand on my dress. Something about O'Hara just creeped me out. Dinner was an awkward affair to say the least. I had sat between O'Hara and Tavington. It was made even worse by O'Hara trying to flirt with me. I tried my best to ignore him, making light conversation with Mary and politely answering the others when spoken to.
As dinner was coming to a close Cornwallis stood up, ringing his glass with a spoon to get everyone's attention. "We shall be heading to Middelton place within the week. They will be hosting a ball once we are there." O'Hara leaned closer to me making me even more uncomfortable.
"It would be my honor to escort you for the evening, Miss McKenzie" O'Hara said lowly. Tavington stood up to leave and glanced down at me.
"I'm sorry General but I'm disinclined to aquest to your request, and besides I doubt very much that I'm even invited." I knew it was rude but i didn't care. Ohara always did give me the creeps I stood up, allowing Colonel Tavington to lead me out of the dining hall.
Before we made it out of the dining room we were stopped buy General Cornwallis. "Colonel, since Miss McKenzie is still in your charge. You will escort her to the ball."
"Yes sir." the colonel and i said in unison. Both of us seemed to be just as annoyed at the order as the other. "Glad that's over. I think i need a drink."
The Colonel smiled down at me. "As do i. I much rather eat with the men at camp than suffer through that… what should I call it?... tourture." I laughed in agreement and walked with him until we reached the door to my room. He continued down the hall to his. Looking back at me the first genuine smile I've seen on him appeared on his face. "Miss Mckenzie, are you interested in sharing a night cap?" thoughts of what could happen if i drank too much rushed through my head, especially if i let something slip. Although I suppose one wouldn't hurt and besides the Alcohol in this time isn't as strong as back home. I nodded and smiled back at him. Maybe he isn't as bad as the history books say, besides history is written by the winners. I let go of the door knob and headed over to him as he opened the door. His room was very much like mine. The only major difference was that the color scheme was Emerald green and silver. The curtains on the canopy bed were drawn back tied against the poles. A brief image of a blonde wizard who looked very much like the colonel flashed through my head. This room was most definitely suited for him. He went over to his desk and picked up a bottle of wine.
"Thank you Colonel." He put the bottle down and poured himself a glass of whiskey. " You know Colonel, I can shoot whiskey." He raised an eyebrow at me and his eyes flicked over to his desk focusing on something behind me. Before I could turn to see what it was he had moved behind me and quickly put whatever it was in a draw. He pulled a chess board out of that same draw and brought over the bottle of whiskey and a glass over to the table.
He pulled out the chair for me to sit. While he was pushing me in he began to speak. "You know miss mckenzie, you speak in a very strange way sometimes…...Almost as if you are out of place." He moved around to the other side of the table, took off his uniform jacket and sat down. "I assume you know how to play."
"Of course Colonel, and you already know I'm not from these parts Colonel." He began to set up the chess board. And poured us another glass of whiskey.
"You see Miss Mckenzie, I've been to New York as well and you dont speak or act like the women there either. You do however seem like a very educated woman so i'll give you that." He stared at me for a moment before leaning forward. "Why don't we make this game more amusing. If I capture one of your pieces you have to take a drink and answer any questions I have honestly. i'll do the same" Well i must be doing good if this is what he has come to to get me to speak. I eyed him warringly
"Alright Colonel, Challenge accepted." My eyes were shining with excitement as I pushed thoughts of danger away. This was either very stupid of me or clever. It's not everyday that you have a chance to ask a historical figure anything. I shot back my glass of whiskey. He chuckled
"Save the whiskey for when you lose." he said playfully. Curious I would have never thought Tavington to be playful. He refilled my glass.
"Ha like you're going to win." I said flirtatiously. The alcohol was beginning to affect me. I mean the colonel was also very attractive. "This is an odd way to get information Colonel." we started to play and he quickly captured one of my pieces. He smirked.
Staring into my eyes with his irresistible blue grey eyes that I could get lost in, he asked his first question. " Where were you born, Miss Mckenzie?" I had to be very careful on how I approached my answers.
"I was born on a farm outside of new york city." I would have to answer quickly so he would not detect that there was something off. While looking at the chessboard one of the rules from NCIS slipped through my head. Always be specific when you lie. I made my move and captured one off Tavingtons pieces. He looked at me in shock. "What did you think this was going to be easy?" I Jested in amusement.
"Clearly you are no ordinary woman." A slight blush spread across my face as he shot back his whiskey. I had no idea of what to ask him. I knew a lot already, especially after having to write that report on him in high school. Back then I would have given anything to be able to ask him anything I wanted or even beagle to sit in a room with him or the other historical figures. "Please stop calling me Miss Mckenzie. What is your middle name?"
"Jason. What should i call you then?" he captured one of my knights. "When is your birthday?"
"You can call me Anastasia, some of my friends call me stasi. I actually quite hate being called miss mckenzie." I took a swig of my whiskey. I reached out to make my move when his hand shot out and he gently grabbed my hand to stop me.
"You haven't answered my question." I looked at him in confusion. " I had asked you when you were born." I smirked.
"That's right but you also asked me what i would like to be called. I believe the rule was one question at time." His eyes narrowed at me for a brief moment.
"Very well but do not try that again.., Anastasia." My name rolled smoothly off his tongue. I liked the way he said it. I would love to hear how it sounded when he was... a shiver ran down my spine. I stopped those thoughts. I could not develop the small bit of feelings I had for him. He is the bloody butcher. I moved my piece close to one of his castles. He made his move and captured that piece as well. "Same question as before. When were you born?"
"May 5th." I took a swig of the whiskey and looked at him. He looked back at me expectantly. "Oh the year as well.1752." I made my move and captured his queen." Checkmate." Another look of shock flitted across his face as he realized that i was about to take out his king. He drank his glass of whiskey. Refilled it and drank it again
"When is your birthday?" I asked as I tossed the Queen up in there intending to catch it. It hit the floor with a thud. I looked at it before picking it up. "Sorry."
"It's Quite all right it's an old set. I was born the sixth of June 1743." He looked at me smirking his eyes alight as he made his move, taking out the piece I had checked his king with. "Make your move then I will ask you one last question." I took my drink feeling the effects of all the drinking I had done hit me at once.
"Um okay." I made my move and took out his king. I leaned back in my chair smiling from my accomplishment. "What ship did you come over on."
"The royal oak. I set out from Liverpool. Many of the men that I had been in the ship with were stationed in New York. Spent about a week there before the ship sailed down to Charlestown." He spun his glass in his hand thoughtfully. "May I ask you one last question Anastasia?" I nodded. This even hadn't turned out too bad. I rather enjoyed the time I spent with the colonel tonight. "How old are you?" I thought he already asked me my birthday. Did he? I can't fully remember the alcohol fogging my thoughts
"I'm 19" before I could blink. He was on his feet flipping the table out of the way and I jumped out of my chair. Soon he had me pinned against the wall with his hand on my throat. My eyes went wide when I realized my mistake. I had told him I was born in 1752. I should be 24. "Oh fuck!"
"Anastasia….Checkmate." He sneered in a whisper into my ear.