the difference

Chapter One

William woke up with a woman huddled to his side, oh god again?! He wasn't even that drunk! Now he's got to pay her. Maybe if he slipped away- oh too bloody late.

"morning deary" The woman spoke and looked up at him. William just stayed quiet and pretended to be asleep, maybe she'd just- did she seriously just jab me in the side!

"Oh go away!" he groaned and clutched onto his pillow "I'll pay you, just let me sleep!" Alright maybe his tone was a little too heavy with sleep. He sounded like a schoolboy who didn't want to wake for lessons.

"a full night is five shillings" those words snapped him out of his thoughts, she was already up and dressed.

for the love of God fine! "On my desk, take five shillings, nothing more or I'll have you hanging" William mumbled and sat up, watching her like a hawk as she picked up the money "Good, now leave" he heard a quick shuffle of clothing and then the sound of the tent flap being pushed to one side. With a sigh, he fell back into his pillows "Right, no more taverns or brothels!" He muttered to himself and gathered his uniform. Hell, he didn't want a child! Not until he was back in England with a wife, as beautiful as the morning sun or the moon perhaps.

"Well, well" William raised himself onto his forearms and caught sight of Stephen Madden, his second, walked into the tent "let me guess 'you weren't that drunk'?"

William hummed and picked up his breeches from the floor "Why didn't you stop me?" he groaned before ordering his second to turn around so he could put his breeches on.

"I tried, you spat in my face"

"apologies" William picked up his shirt and put it on "Here take that" he threw a pouch of money at Stephen before reaching for his waistcoat "No more letting me go to brothels or taverns"

"of course sir"

"Thank you" William mumbled and looked towards his desk "I'll be running an errand today, I'll be back at around midnight"

"of course sir" James nodded before William gave him a letter "what's that for?"

"just incase I die, send it to your mother"

"why mine?"

"because mine is dead" William looked down at his hands before collecting his coat "She's the closest thing I've got to one and you're more of a brother to me than my those of my own blood"

"Do I call you 'brother' then?" Stephen joked and swatted William's shoulder "I'll see you soon" he heartily spoke and left the tent.

It wasn't a lie, he was the closest thing he had to a brother. His own brother, Adam, took his inheritance and paid for William's commission, they hadn't spoken since. He wasn't even the oldest, William was. Well, what do you expect from your parents favourite second son who could do no wrong. William untied the horses reins from around a fence before patting it's neck "let's get this done, ey boy?" he muttered before mounting the steed. A few moments later, he was steadily cantering down the dirt path that led through the forest. At around ten in the evening, he'd finished his chores and made his way back to the public stables. The stable hand had already saddled his horse and within no time he was on his way back to the camp.

But something stopped him. a woman's scream? William quickly dismounted his horse and ran over to where the cry came from. To his disgust, a woman was being dragged by the arm further into the woods. But when she refused to walk forwards, the man hit her on the back of her head and pushed her to the floor, leaving her limp on the leaves and branches below.

"Why don't you pick on someone of your own sex and height!" William shouted and, without thinking, grasped the man by his throat and held him against a nearby tree "Scumbag!" he didn't let go for a good few minutes, Even though the man's struggling had ceased. William let go and watched the man's body fall to the forest floor, He had just killed a man in the defence of a woman he didn't even know.

William knelt down and brushed the woman's hair from her face. She was knocked out cold, bless her. After a few moments, he lifted her into his arms and walked back towards his horse. She stirred slightly and her eyes cracked open for a while "Shh, don't worry, you're safe now"

"tha..." like clockwork, she passed out in the Colonel's arms once again. Poor thing, she must be petrified...

William had just killed a man all because of the woman in his arms, he had a little honour when it came to men defiling the innocence of women. Once he was back at camp, he walked over to the medical tents. They should be able to help her, hopefully anyway "You there" he half-shouted at a doctor who was standing around aimlessly "Help this woman this instant" With those words he laid the woman on a cot and covered her in a blanket "Notify me the moment she wakes"

"Yes sir" the physician walked up to the yound woman and noticed blood forming on her pillow "what did you do to her?!"

"I did nothing, in fact, I saved her from a fate worse than death!" William snapped causing a few soldiers to look his way "never accuse me of doing such a horror again!" and then he stormed out of the tent and paced back to his side of the camp.

"Sir" James sighed and stood up from around the campfire "General O'hara has heard of your companionship from last night...she reported you"

William's blood grew cold "Right, so my service in this war means nothing to that man? Christ..."

"You've only been ordered to stay in camp for a week, unpaid"

For fucks sake...