The Lost Princess [Hamliza Anastasia AU]

Chapter Twenty One: A Strange Encounter

Thursday, March 10, 1927. Georgetown, New York. 

"The train for Philadelphia departs from track four," came the conductor's voice. "Philadelphia via New York City on track four."

Beth stood beside Aaron on platform four, feeling her nerves grow. Alex and John hadn't yet arrived, and the train was due to depart at 5:00, in only a few minutes. Just when she was beginning to fear that the redcoats had caught them and they weren't going to show at all, Alex and John appeared in the crowd. 

Hurrying up to Beth, Alex thrust several sheets of paper into her hand. Glancing down at them, she found perfect exit papers, signed by the customs office. They were a forgery, of course, but they looked perfect. Beth smiled up at him. She couldn't say anything out loud for fear of being overheard, but she hoped the smile would communicate how grateful she was. 

"We're leaving on this train," Aaron said, breaking the silence and pointing to  the train behind them. "It's a special train. Aristocrats and intellectuals. Everyone King George wants to be rid of.

"Good," Alex nodded. "You all remember your identities?" He said the word identities with a sarcastic note, mouth twisting into a shadow of an ironic smirk. All of them nodded. All three of the boys were wanted for something, and they had established fake names and stories to use in case anyone asked. Beth had been briefed by Aaron that night as they waited for Alex and John to arrive. 

Alex was traveling as Al Fawcett, a little known historian. John was his brother Jacob Fawcett, and Aaron would travel as Henry Edwards, an aristocrat who was fleeing the country. This was the biggest gamble, because Henry was actually a maternal cousin of Aaron's who had died fighting in the Great War. Hopefully, whoever checked their papers wouldn't know this, or he could be easily caught and arrested. Henry had died just days before the revolution and he hadn't been too important to begin with, so his death had gone practically unnoticed in all the chaos. Beth, who couldn't travel using her own identity now that she might be being hunted as well, was going as Eliza Danridge, a ballerina traveling to Philadelphia to audition for the ballet there. 

"Are you sure we have the right papers?" John asked worriedly, glancing over at a young woman who was getting her own exit papers out. 

"Of course I'm sure," Alex waved the question away.

"Everyone else's are green." Aaron added in a nervous whisper. 

Beth glanced over and saw that indeed, most of the other passengers seemed to have papers printed on green loose leaf. Her heart dropped. Hopefully the color didn't matter, or the conductor would let them on anyway. She didn't know what she would do if they couldn't get on this train. She didn't even have the diamond to use for extra cash anymore. 

"Aaron Burr? I haven't seen you in years!" A man exclaimed, making his way through the crowd to get to their group. He was tall, lean, and handsome, with skin several shades lighter than Aaron's and curly brown hair was tied back into a ponytail. 

Aaron stiffened as he saw the man approaching. "I'm afraid you've got the wrong man," he told the stranger. "My name is Henry Edwards. I'm a cousin of his. Haven't seen Aaron in years."

"Whatever you say," the man shrugged. "That's alright. Never did get along with Aaron anyway," The look of distaste in his eyes as he said that made Beth believe that he was telling the truth. He also seemed to know Aaron was lying, but he hadn't said anything, which was a point for him in her book. Then the stranger's gaze landed on Beth. His eyes went wide. "You look like someone I used to know," he told her. "What's your name, beautiful?"

Beth blushed at the compliment and replied "Eliza Danridge, sir," It felt weird to use that name. Eliza felt familiar, just another piece of the puzzle Beth was almost sure she had solved, but Danridge had always been Martha's name. Sure, she had considered Martha something of a mother, but it was still strange to claim that name as her own. 

"Eliza," The stranger's eyes got even wider, and he dropped to one knee and kissed her hand. "God bless you, Eliza," he said to her quietly. "And God rest your family," Confused, Beth was still trying to process what he was talking about when the man stood and held a hand out to Alex. 

Alex shook his hand, looking equally confused. 

"Don't let anything happen to her," he said, looking Alex straight in the eyes. "She's going to bring hope to a lot of people."

With that cryptic message, he walked off toward the train. Aaron glared at his back. "That's the Count Lafayette. He's not just an aristocrat, he's an intellectual as well. He's a dead man on both counts. I've known him since I was young and I can't say I'm a fan. The food on his plate might belong to the state, but that hasn't stopped him from living the high life."

"What are you talking about?" Eliza asked. "And what did he mean about my family and me bringing hope to people."

Aaron scowled and replied. "His family has been aristocracy for generations. His parents died the same night as the King, fighting against the revolutionaries. His aunt and uncle took him in, and they sucked up to the new government. His uncle's a high ranking redcoat, so his family doesn't have to starve like the rest of us. Young Lafayette has been speaking out against some of George Fredrick's decisions lately, and he's highly intelligent. His father fought in the Great War and his son has the makings of a tactical genius. Some in the government fear he'll orchestrate a rebellion, which is why he's fleeing. The medals he's wearing aren't even his, by the way. They're his father's."

Beth didn't see what was so bad about Lafayette, but she decided not to ask. She was just about to re-ask her other question though, but Alex beat her to it with an answer.

"And he saw Beth here for a true princess," Alex said.  "That's good. He spent time with the royal sisters at court. If a man like him can see it, surely her own aunt will be able to."

Beth breathed in sharply, realizing what that meant. Ever since her vision, she had been more sure than ever that Alex and the others might actually be right. The name Eliza would have felt familiar because Princess Elizabeth might have gone by it, and if someone who had known Elizabeth, like Lafayette, could recognize her.... It was just more proof. Beth might really be the Princess Elizabeth. It all came down to what the Dowager Countess said.