The Colonial Heart ✓ (Editing)

Chapter 29

                                A M A

As the thunder of horses hooves approached, my blood ran cold. I locked eyes with the gentleman who had gifted me the dagger, his face now pale.

"Good heavens, we haven't even recovered," he muttered. I shivered, my voice trembling as I screamed, "Flee! Run as far as you can!"Panic set in as people scrambled to gather their belongings and escape. I frantically searched for Yaa, who was rallying others to flee. I silently prayed that she would be alright.

The horses came into view, and our people were swiftly encircled, prey to the merciless British soldiers. "You insolent beings!" one soldier taunted. "We offered you a choice, but you refused. We would have killed you, but why waste free labor?" The soldiers erupted into laughter, their cruelty chilling.

As they began to bind us, despair washed over me. A guard approached, his lecherous gaze making my skin crawl. "Ah, a pretty lass," he sneered. "I might keep her for myself ." I slapped his hand away, my voice firm but trembling.

''Don't touch me.'' He chuckled, his tone menacing. ''Don't make this harder than it needs to be, lass.'' I scanned our captors, desperate for an escape, but found none. All I saw were tears, screams, and my people's anguish. I turned to the guard, a sultry smile spreading across my face.

''Very well, but I hope to glimpse your face, to see how handsome my master is.'' I batted my eyelashes, my hand on his chest plate.

He hesitated for a moment unsure to why and what had caused the sudden change in my attitude, then allowed me to remove his helmet. In a swift motion, I produced the dagger from my hair and slit his throat. ''Run!'' I screamed, and chaos erupted. Guards drew swords, our people fought back, and the weak fled.

Amidst the mayhem, I spotted a lone boy, searching for his mother. A guard charged towards him, sword raised ready to attack the poor child. I sprinted towards them, dagger flashing in the sunlight. I pierced the guard's back, and as he cried out, I pulled out the dagger and rushed the child to safety.

As I ran through the dark forest, my heart trembled with anguish, the haunting sounds of metal piercing flesh and blood still echoing in my mind. The screams of my people, desperately fleeing for their lives, lingered in the air like a mournful dirge.

The traumatic experience had left me reeling, my thoughts consumed by the weight of our devastating loss. I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for the few remaining souls who stood by my side, their faces etched with the same pain and fear that I felt.

The burden of responsibility threatened to crush me, for I knew that our capture was a direct result of my own foolishness. I had fallen deeply in love with the enemy, blinded by a love that had never truly existed. I was foolish to believe anyone could ever love me to the ends of the universe and back .The realization was a bitter pill to swallow, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had led my people to slaughter.

As the last remnants of screams faded into the distance, a sense of relief slowly washed over me, tempered by the knowledge that our ordeal was far from over. The child, no more than eight years old, stood before me, his eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. I knew that his childhood had been forever shattered, his innocence lost in the chaos of war. I felt a pang of sorrow, knowing that I had failed to protect him, failed to keep him safe.

My body, exhausted and trembling, refused to move further. I gasped for air, trying to calm my racing heart, as my people gathered around me.

"Is everyone well?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as I struggled to find the strength to lead. A few murmured responses and groans filled the air, a stark reminder of our dire situation. I gently placed the child down, and he rushed towards the crowd, desperately searching for a familiar face, a glimmer of hope in a sea of despair.

"We must move quietly," I urged, my voice firm but laced with desperation.

"No fires, no smoke, or they will find us."I paused, scanning the faces before me, searching for a glimmer of determination. "We have lost so much, but we cannot give up. We must use our heads, not our hearts, for if we listen to our emotions, we will only weaken ourselves."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the challenges ahead. "We must work smarter, bide our time, and wait for the perfect moment to strike. Some of you must go to the nearest villages, cry out for help, while others will need to surrender –"

"Why must we do that?" a woman's voice interrupted, her tone laced with defiance and desperation. I turned to her, locking gazes, my heart heavy with the weight of our situation.

"So that we can infiltrate, gather intel, and exploit their weaknesses," I explained, my voice firm but laced with a hint of sadness.

"We may steal their armaments, use their own strength against them. That is why I want women to pose as maids, to work inside their inner quarters, to gather information and wait for the perfect moment to strike."

Akwasi stepped forward, his voice low and menacing. "Who gave you the bloody permission to order us around?" He sneered.

"I am the chief and I will not be led by a woman."

I slowly stalked towards him, my heart pounding in my chest, my hand resting on his chest.

"And I will not be led by a man,"

I said, my voice firm and resolute, before slitting his throat in a swift, deadly motion. The group gasped, shocked by my bold move, as I stood tall, my heart heavy with the weight of our desperate situation.

I surveyed the group, my eyes challenging anyone to speak out.
"Does anyone else wish to question me?"

I asked, my voice firm and unwavering. The silence was deafening, a testament to the weight of my words. A small, enigmatic smile played on my lips as I nodded, satisfied.

"Great, then let us tend to the necessities. Dispose of this body, and scour our surroundings for anything edible for the children. We must move swiftly and quietly, lest we draw unwanted attention. Our quest begins at dawn."

As I spoke, the group sprang into action, their movements swift and purposeful. The body was dragged away, and the search for food commenced with renewed urgency. I watched, my eyes never leaving the child, who stood frozen, his eyes fixed on me with a mix of fear and awe. I knew that I had to protect him, to keep him safe from the dangers that lurked in every shadow. And I would stop at nothing to do so.

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I really tried my best to make this chapter long and im hoping to create a habit of creating chapters nothing short of 1500 words and though this one was not 1500 it was still a start and I hope to make my chapters  1500
Words hence forth.

Thank you for reading and have a great day or night!