Everlasting Family

North Taylor- Chapter 8

Orange, Virginia- 1864- North Taylor

Chapter 8

"Lucian, please tell me you are able to join us," I mumble, fearing the worst of my friend.

"North, I cannot!" he cries, obviously distressed. "My father threatened Mary. I cannot risk my wife, please understand!"

"Of course we understand, Lucian," Silas tells him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We would never want you to risk Mary's safety. She is like a little sister to us as you are like a brother to us."

Lucian simply nods and gives us both a quick hug before ushering us off. Silas was quieter than normal on our trip to join the Union army. I did not say much either. I believe we both knew that was the last time we would see our friend.

That was two years ago, we are now seated on the floor of our small tent and we are having the same discussion we have had over and over again during the last two years.

"Are you certain this is where we ought to be, Silas?" I ask my best friend for the hundredth time.

Silas simply nods his head and glances at me. "North, I told you already that I will support any decision you make. If this is too much for you or your views have changed, I will still be there for you."

I glare at him for a moment before huffing. "Silas, my views have not changed and I will not go back to the Confederates. You know this, I just don't want us getting caught. If they find out we are from a Confederate state we will be executed."

"They will not find out!" Silas tells me, becoming exasperated. "North, we have been here for two years already. They did not find out we were only sixteen years old, they will not find out about where we come from either."

When we turned sixteen years old, Silas and I joined the Union Army. Neither of us felt right defending people who thought owning a human being was okay. We left our families and our homes and joined the Union. We have been fighting with them ever since.

"I hope you are right, Silas," I say with a sigh, then grin cheekily at him. "Technically we could pass as being from Greece too. Our parents are from Greece after all. We know the language. Maybe we should just move there?"

Silas simply laughs and shakes his head at me. Gun fire stops our conversation and we both know it is time to get back to work. Picking up our weapons we leave our small tent and head into battle.

A few long days later, Silas came into our tent with a letter in his hands. There was only one person I could think of that would write to us. Lucian. Our long time friend wanted to join us in the Union. His father, however, had found out about his plans to join us and threatened his wife. Lucian made the right choice, keeping his wife safe. Last we had heard from them, Mary was expecting and he had hopes it would be a boy.

"What does Lucian have to say?" I ask, taking a bite of jerky.

Silas looks at me with a grim expression and hold out the letter for me to take. "It is not from Lucian. It is from Mary."

Jumping to my feet, I snatch the letter from his hands and quickly scan it. The contents make my blood run cold and I stare at the letter in horror as I read it again, slower this time.

Dear Mr. Taylor and Mr. Korba,

I do hope this letter reaches you both well. I am distraught and unsure who else I can trust. They have taken Lucian. The redcoats came into our home and took Lucian away. He told me to find you both, that you could help me.

I am not naive, I know my husband will not be coming back. They have marked him a traitor and he will be punished as such. Please help me, for I do not know what to do!

Sincerely,

Mary

"We have to go back," I whisper to Silas, seeing the sadness in his eyes as well. "We have to help her, Silas. Lucian's father will have her marked as a traitor as well when he finds out about this."

Seeing his subtle nod, the two of us spring into action, packing our belongings. We will leave at sundown. Lucian is surely gone, we can only pray we make it to Mary in time to save her as well.