Revolutionary Love {The Patriot Fanfiction} Part 1

Chapter 13 ~ The Ball - Part 1

"Hope." A soft voice called my name as I hid under the sheets of the bed I was sleeping in. I gave nothing more than a small groan in response, tossing to lay on my front. "Hope please," the voice pressed. "you must awake now for we have to get you ready." Realizing it was Sarah who called me, I found some strength and will to sit up. 

At the sight of her, she was rather done up – wearing a beautiful, yet simple, yellow ball gown, her beautiful blond hair piled high onto her head. I began to wonder what the occasion was.

"Why must I be up? You've let me rest past noon these last few days." I complained the truth. It was a fact. 

Colonel Tavington had disappeared after our first kiss, a chaste kiss more accurately, only three weeks ago. I hadn't heard from him as many of the men, along with Lord Cornwallis, had left. According to one of Cornwallis's advisers, they were in battle right now and resided at one of the forts occupied by the British.

Sarah ignored my protests as I could see the light in the room was leaking in through the window I had come to designate as my time telling window. One of two. One for when the sun rose in the east and one for when it set in the west. Right now, the sun was just starting to slip down into the east and I found that meant it was nearing the mid-afternoon. She pulled me out of bed with a force I knew her not to possess and she helped steady me before beaming, more than usual. 

"Seriously, what is this about?" I asked, becoming stubborn as she literally ran to the vanity mirror and placed brushes and small make-up compacts onto the table from a small sack she had been carrying.

"There is a ball tonight out in the West Wing garden." Sarah began as she organized out the items she was placing down, earning my full attention. "Cornwallis requested you attend upon the men's arrival back. It's a sort of welcoming back." She beamed over her shoulder and my eyes went wide. James and William would be... back... 

It hit me like a ton of bricks. I had wondered why, on my times wandering through the large mansion of a house and the grounds of the fort, why they had been setting up flowers and tables throughout the gardens. Nobody would ever utter a response to my questions it seemed. They all knew who I was. That I was under the eye of William Tavington. SO they spoke nothing of anything to me, especially when I dinned with Sarah and a few others at night.

Finally realizing there was little reason to inquire why I was only now hearing about this, I felt some excitement. "So what am I to wear then to this ball?" Sarah's eyes followed me as I moved from the bed and to the window, peeking through the heavy drapes and through the large window that overlooked the vast West Garden. I saw many men and women running around hanging items and decorating tables. I also noticed the performers setting up their instruments at the stage. 

"A dress I found tucked away in one of the many trunks around the house. It's beautiful and I do believe you will love it, Hope." Sarah finally replied, pulling me towards the bathing chambers by my shoulders to get me cleaned up and dressed.

*****

 

"Is it normal to not to be capable of breathing?" I gasped whilst clinging to the bed post for dear life. Sarah giggled at this, pulling at the corset strings tighter from behind.

"Well they are meant to define your hips I believe. You have worn them before no?" I gasped again as it felt my ribs were being crushed.

I howled in pain before feeling it loosen. "Well yes I have but never this tight before!" The thought of the first tim Abigail managed to get me into one was one hell of a day. But it was a casual corset, one loosely worn around the home I suppose. This was a whole new level of restriction.