Becoming a Founding "Father"- Historical Hamilton

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Mrs Washington

*I'm so very sorry, I swear that this is the only chapter that'll ever use the squiggly line in dialogue. I  s w e a r

Birdwatcher is a slang for spy.

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The black sky- as dark as spilled ink- is quiet for a moment. The stars twinkle brightly, looking down on us, as the entire world counts down the ticking seconds. The smell of smoke, cinnamon and baked sausage travels around the entire camp.

Three... Two... One.

A loud bang resonated from a cannon in camp, lighting the sky on fire with grey, white and red, and everyone cheered as loud as they could. Midnight strikes, and 1779 has arrived.

I huff in distain, but a smile still makes itself apparent. I wanted to surprise Alexander and Lafayette with some food and whiskey in time for the fireworks, but I miscalculated how long it would take to get them. 

Another white firework goes off, sending smoke everywhere. Well, it technically wasn't a firework, I learned- the projection just was a lot of bright smoke- dust- that exploded from a cannon. 

I skip through the excited crowd, excited to be reunited with my friends. It seemed that everyone was outside, watching the light show. I join in on the song that's ringing in the streets. "Vain Britons, boast no longer with proud indignity, By land your conquering legions, your matchless strength by sea."

I dodge a drunk, and I finally manage to get through the streets. "Since we, your sons incensed, our swords have girded on."

Finally, I find an opening, and I see Alexander with Lafayette. I laugh, attracting attention. "Huzzah! huzzah! huzzah! Huzza, for War and Washington!"

"I would be singing his praises, too, should he give me a command anytime soon," Alexander muttered grumpily, taking a flask of alcohol from me gratefully. After taking a sip, he muttered a "damn, this is strong."

"Oh, as if you would ever sing praises to Washington. That would be quite a show."

"Hilarious, Soul. That man is not worth such things from me."

Lafayette- the Major who never tolerates any slander of His Excellency- oddly doesn't react and just takes a flask from me with a distant look on his face. His mind seems to be taken by something, so I leave him be.

We started walking up to a clearing, where Alexander claimed there was a less crowded bonfire. While we were doing so, he filled me in on what's going on in the world of the generals. "His Excellency has been quite restless recently. He is much more..." Alexander winces, and can see a flash of fear cross his face. "...Irritable."

"And why's that?" I ask, and jump when Lafayette answers. He had been following us silently, and I almost forgot he was there.

"Mrs Washington shall be arriving shortly, and he wants everything to be perfect, sir," He muttered, looking at the floor.

"Oh, Mrs Washington? That's incredible news- I have only ever heard good things about her!" I say with a smile, before my brows furrow. "Hold on, that makes little sense. Why is His Excellency so irritable then?"

"Well, she wished to come last year- during Valley Forge- yet she got stuck in a snowstorm and had to retreat back to Mount Vernon," Alexander says. "Quite unfortunate, truly- Maybe his Excellency would have been more agreeable with the Madam around. I believe that the General is simply nervous." A pause. "I just wish he did not take out his anger on me."

We're moving quarters closer to Washington tomorrow, which meant that all of the aides- including me- would be in direct contact with the General much more. But Alexander is also chief of staff, which meant that he did much more than just write letters and numbers, and that included being around Washington for hours on end. In fact, the only time he's not writing at his desk, he's by Washington's side.