Captured [The Patriot Fanfic] ON HOLD

Chapter 16: Absconded

Blythe draped the thin hood of the black cape Judith provided for her,over her head and adjusted it to cover the many garments needed to create an underslip. She placed a furled slip of paper atop the desk and glanced out at the window panel solemnly. Her hair partially tied and her eyes were swollen from her cries, tightened with tiredness. She could only blot her eyes from the incoming tears as a hand laid atop her shoulder.

"My lady." James' voice sounded.

She could only wish at that moment it was William wrapping his arms around her waist, pleading with her not to leave. But of course, expectations and reality were anything but alike.

"Are you set for leave?" He inquired.

"Yes sir." She retorted almost inaudibly as she slowly paced to the door, glancing back at the now empty room before proceeding downstairs and out of the hellish walls of the fort, James not too far behind her, assisting her as she mounted his gelding; seating himself behind her.

"You'll be fine my lady." He gently tugged at the reins, and before she knew it, they were riding off away from the fort of hell and the vast plantation, further into the darker shades of green, and into the wooded areas where nobody even dared to enter, all without another word being said. Within the distance laid a light that grew brighter as they rode further towards it, until James halted halfway in the midst of the trees and brush.

"Their camp is within the distance, as far as I know my lady." He said as he lifted Blythe off the horse. Her hands came atop his shoulders as she steadied herself for balance. She glanced up for a moment into his eyes, seemingly dimming down to an unfamiliar ebony as he intently gaped into hers. A glint of light shined within his eyes and he smiled for a moment before she pulled away.

"Thank you, for even doing this, this truly means a lot."

"Anything for you my lady. Allow me to walk with you."

Blythe glanced up as James came her way and they both made their way towards the flickering amber glow. Her slippers gently kissed the ground beneath her whereas his boots gently crushed the brittle fallen leaves beneath the solid leather soles. Until he paused, eyeing Blythe.

"My lady, I wish I could go much further, but before anybody sees, I must end here."

Blythe could feel her insides tingle as she ran up to James throwing her arms graciously around him, lifting her off the ground just a tad.

"Thank you so much." She whispered as he set her down.

"My dear friend..." He replied. "Go before they see us."

Blythe clutched her purse close to her as she paced her way to the flickering tawny light and as she turned, James was gone before she knew it. She took a few more steps forward viewing the few tents in the distance.

"Dear child, what is a girl young as you doing in such a place." An older male voice croaked out. Blythe turned to see an older man a bit shorter than her study her with his eyes that somehow caved in. He wore a brown coat over his priest-like attire.

"I'm searching for Benjamin Martin, can you guide me to him?"

"Ah, come this way. " He beckoned as he started in front of her towards a faintly lit tent.

"Benjamin, there is a young girl here to see you."

"A girl?" A familiar voice questioned. "Send her in Reverend."

" Go in my dear child." He gestured her.

She nodded as she entered staring down at the ground.

"Colonel Martin." She relieved her head of the hood of the cape as she stared up to see the auburn hair of a familiar man but she couldn't make out his face as he looked down at a few papers of some sort.

"And just what brings a young girl-" He looked up that very moment to Blythe's surprise.

Blythe could only feel her hands come over her mouth as he stood speechless at her presence. Her eyes dilated wide as he stood in his black militia coat at a loss for words. It was that man who gave her assurance the day of her unexpected arrival, the one she thought she would probably never see again. It was the father who had lost his son to the bullet of the callous colonel she fell for.

"Y-You're alive..." She stammered to speak as he paused whatever he was doing; making his way towards her.

"I had you in prayers this entire while. " He replied as he took her in his arms.

"I had escaped."

"How did you manage, you could've been killed for even taking such risk."

"I had wanted to see who was responsible for these ghost ambushes on my own volition." Blythe told Benjamin. "Only to find, you were the ghost."

His eyebrows furrowed as he surveyed her expression. "You risked your imprisonment to come here?"

"I had more reasons, but this was one of many."

"Tell me."

"I-" Blythe trembled to speak, knowing his rage would boil if she spoke of her love for the man he loathed.

"What had Tavington done?"

But Blythe had no choice but to confess. "I had fallen for him." She covered her face in shame. "Please forgive me." She cried. "I never thought I could love him..." His arm secured around her as she sobbed uncontrollably.

"All is forgiven." Benjamin lifted her chin up, smoothing her hair out in a fatherly manner. "Where has your family gone? I'll take you to them." He inquired.

"I have none." She lowered her head in lieu that everybody was left within the modern day.

Benjamin sighed for only a moment, his forehead creased in deep thought before he exhaled stressfully. " You will therefore have to stay here on the camp with us for the time being." He held her hand in his protectively.

"Father-" Another voice jolted the two to the sandy blonde hair of Gabriel, a name Blythe couldn't forget. Gabriel's eyes grew wide at the sight of the runaway prisoner.

"Father, she's a-a-alive." He spoke with an amazed astonishment as he smiled her way.

Blythe only nodded, knowing that it was no accident that she had escaped today. This may have just been the reason, to find the two people that had given her hope to endure what lied ahead. She bit her lip with a bittersweet smile as a sudden visage of William's eyes unanticipatedly came to mind in desperation.

*End of Part 1*