Captured [The Patriot Fanfic] ON HOLD

Chapter 8: Anything but Comfort

 The coarseness of his breath came over her neck, and his villainous eyes deeply stared into hers.

"You don't even know what love is!" Blythe's voice echoed out before his hand reached for her neck...

Blythe awoke instantly, panting in horror, realizing it was only just a dream. She slowly arose, realizing the candle had finally gave out on its dying flame. Her body shuddered as she peeped the shut door, surprised that Tavington hadn't dared to go on a wild goose chase to find Blythe in hiding.

"Oh my god." Blythe muttered, trying not to disturb Judith who now stirred herself awake at the sound of Blythe's words.

"Dear Blythe what troubles you?" Judith's voice sounded as she arose to comfort the panicked girl who feared the mere thought of him barging in through the door.

"It was oh too real." Blythe could hear her mutely sobs as she cupped her hands over her face.

"Now, now dear Blythe it was only a dream. Tavington has never set a single foot up these stairs nor this room." Judith attempted to be consoling to an already traumatized Blythe Avery, who still didn't know how she even managed to drift off the way she did despite everything.

"I'm not convinced." She could only sink further into her tears with a great consternation of what was to come if that cold-blooded coward of a colonel was to find her. Would he drag her back down to his room; silencing her forever?

But all was tranquil as Judith laid her back down, trying to be of comfort to the unconvinced girl.

"You will be fine my dear." The young servant draped her with a wool blanket as she turned away. Not even the soft, sweet words of the consoling English servant could alleviate the dreadful fear of the brutal coward of a commander. Blythe shuddered as she reached for her cross-body purse, pulling out her life-proof encased iPhone, dimming down the brightness, her ears were now plugged as she could hear the piano intro of John Lennon's Imagine now on repetition, the only thing that kept Blythe from wishing she was dead right about now.

*******

"...and the world will live as one."  Ironically, John Lennon's voice faded out as Judith shook Blythe awake just two hours after Blythe jolted awake in pure terror. Blythe discretely paused her music and stashed her phone under one of the many layers of garments she wore underneath, leaving her headphones in her purse before creeping down the stairs to the kitchen a few steps behind Judith who lit four to five candles to brighten the area.

"They are usually up by the peak of the morning light." Judith told her as she dragged a sack of wheat from the corner. "Lord Cornwallis has always been first to reach the table before anybody else, the rest come on their own, specifically after Cornwallis is present." She added, with her hazel eyes glimmering in the candlelight. "Believe me dear, you listen in on everything they converse about. Rest assure dear, they are going to drivel on about Tavington's new nickname." Judith chortled slightly as she eyed Blythe's pained expression before handing her a bucket.

"Do go fetch some water dear. The well is just right outside this door." She pointed as Blythe faked a smile before stepping out into the dew-kissed dawning, inhaling the crisp scent of the morning breeze that filled her aching lungs with life. She stared at the well, in disbelief that there were no faucets nor even a sink. 

Well, welcome to the 1700's I guess...  Her eyes wheeled back as she dragged her feet through the pebbled ground.

*********

Blythe peered through the crevice of the kitchen door as she saw a somewhat distracted Colonel Tavington approach the table. His expression hinted a somewhat of a distress as she observed closely.

"Good day Tavington." The sarcastic redcoat from yesterday spoke as Judith peered above in a snoopy manner. "Where is that delinquent of yours? You seem so uneasy rather?"

Blythe's crystalline azure eyes hardened with anger as Judith handed her a plate and she stormed out with grace, masking her burn to smack that sardonically sarcastic idiot. She approached the anguished commander, handing him his plate. She scowled the jade-eyed redcoat who's eyes bulged in shock.

"Present sir." She grimaced as she ambled her way back to the kitchen hearing Tavington's footsteps following behind her.

"What was that utter idiocy out there and where have you been?" He questioned with a glowering stare.

Blythe could feel herself gulp down the sick feeling she felt within her throat as she inched back a tad, eyeing Judith who glanced back and forth.

"She was with me." Judith breathed out eyeing the terrified teen  as Tavington slowly neared his way to her as she continuously backed away until, she could feel the doorknob jab into her lower back. She charily reached for the doorknob as she stood face to face with the frigid hostility of his eyes of cerulean. She slowly twisted the knob until she found herself dashing straight for the well and atop the block of wood that made it possible to even reach the cylindrical solid rock.

"BLYTHE!" James' voice screeched as she eyed the depth of the water.

She turned to see Tavington frozen upon her sudden move.

" Come any further, and I drown myself in this well." She spoke towards the astonished yet cruel colonel.

"Come here, I will not hurt you. Please come back inside and this will all be forgotten." His voice had softened, shocking to Blythe's surprise, until she still felt the faintness of his hand upon her neck once more as tears flooded her eyes.

"What's the use in forgetting!" She cried loudly.

"Blythe, I beg of you stop." James came closer, his slated eyes deepened to almost onyx, as she glanced back at the endless pit of water. 

She closed her eyes in contemplation until another man's footsteps interjected her train of thought, and a forceful blow to her chest sent her plunging straight down into the water. She quickly resurfaced, hearing James ordering her to grab hold of the rope, his eyes almost watering with tears, as she clutched the rope tightly until him and Tavington, shockingly, pulled her upward to the misery that awaited. Her eyes clenched shut as the calloused colonel secured his arms around her waist, pulling her out of the stoned pit and onto the pebbled ground where she now laid shivering.

"You should have just left her!" The bitter Dragoon grunted as he slung a whip over the unconcealed slip of Blythe's back, cutting into her waiting flesh. Her cries pleaded for mercy until a bullet fired, ceasing even the whip.

"Captain, she is of my concern, not yours, and if ever you lay a hand on her again, I shall have you demoted. Am I clear!" Tavington defensively spoke as he scooped a frigid and weeping Blythe within his arms back inside and before she knew it she was seated atop his bed in a more gentle manner, her hands enfolded her face.

"My lady..." Tavington's voice sounded the softest she had heard as she peered into  his eyes, anticipating to view the impassiveness and insensitivity within his eyes, but it was different. There was not even the slightest bit of bitterness... but remorse as he surveyed the drenched girl, miserably shaken to her very core. 

Blythe could feel her lips chillingly part to speak.

"Y-You should've j-j-just l-left me." She stammered, turning away from him as she twinged painfully, adjusting the sheet over the open cuts upon her back, sobbing silently with the much pain he now caused her.