Liberty kids: Henri meets Jolene

Chapter twenty four

Jolene was shaking in horror of the dream, sobbing into her knees. Mignon sat up alarmed by her distress, producing a loud bark.
"Oh, please Richard,  leave me alone. Laisse-moi tranquille."

Lafayette had suddenly woken up to a girl's scream, followed by a small but loud bark. He knew right away that it was Jolene and Mignon. Thinking something was wrong, he rushed over frantically to where Jolene was keeping guard and found her crying hysterically, with Mignon barking.
Lafayette walked over but first calmed down Mignon.
"Shh. Tranquille, Mignon. You'll wake the whole camp."

Mignon stopped as asked but laid his head on Jolene's lap whining, trying to tell him that Jolene is upset.
Lafayette knew right away why she was crying. He kneeled down in front of her and wrapped his arms around the young girl.
"I had that horrible dream again! Richard was trying to kill me! Oh, it was horrible!"
"C'est bon, Jolene. He is not here to harm you, You are safe here."

Jolene started to hyperventilate.
"But what if he finds us? What if he knew I went here with you and would try to kidnap me? What if he saw me fleeing to pack back in Philadelphia? What if he sends someone after me?"
Jolene started to panic in French until Lafayette said,
"Jolene! You must come down, my dear. None of that is ever going to happen, not on mine or my men's watch."
"I just want him to go away. Why can't I ever get away from him? I wished I died in that fire with mama and papa, that way I wouldn't have to suffer like this."

Lafayette held onto the young girl as she sobbed into his chest.
"You survived for a reason, Jolene. You were meant to go in and live a great life. Your mama and papa wanted that for you and that's why saved you."
"But why they died and leave me here alone?"

"Sadly, I'm not sure why, but god goes things for a reason, no matter how painful they are. You may not see it as the right thing now, but'll someday you'll understand that it's all part of a great path in life he had set for you."
"You parents may not be with your physical, but...."
"They'll always be with me in my heart," Jolene finished.
Lafayette smiled and smoothed the hair on top  of Joleen's head.
"Come to bed now, fille. I think you did enough guarding for one night."

Lafayette lifted Joleen off the ground and carried her to his tent, while Mignon followed. Joleen wrapped her arms around his neck, tears streaming down her face. They got to the tent and Lafayette laid down on his cot, holding onto his daughter as she cried, wiping her tears away and comforting her with soft words.

This soothed Jolene, and after a while her tears stopped, the sadness drying up inside of her. This love and comfort was Joleen needed for so long, since her parents died and she was so happy to have it now. Joleen slowly drifted to sleep with a smile in Lafayette's arm, warm and safe in his arm. Lafayette fell asleep holding onto the little girl, with Mignon sprawled at his chest.
Joleen didn't have that bad dream in her sleep, but a good Memory of her parents.