✔️| Becoming Lady Washington

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hatred for Helplessness

Alice's POV

I was helpless.

And I hated that.

I could do nothing but watch as my fiancé fell to the floor, blood staining his clothes. The knife had been lodged in his arm, but thankfully the would was not too deep. Opening my mouth, I almost let out a sob, but for some reason I remained silent as Lafayette ran to George, talking rapidly.

"We have to get him to the medical tent. Fast." He spoke, his breath ragged as his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Gilbert was rather close with George, and George had treated the Frenchman like his own son. In fact, George had told me a while ago that he was thinking of asking Lafayette if he wanted to take Washington's last name. He was like the father Gilbert never had, so this near-assassination was greatly painful for the man almost as much as it was for George himself.

"No!" Alex said. "Don't move him now; he'll lose too much blood. Mandy, can you please get the doctor and tell him we have an emergency?"

"Yes, Captain." Mandy raced out the door, running faster than I had ever seen her run. After all, our General's life hung in the balance.

She returned with the Doctor a few minutes later, and as the doctor was working on, I voiced the question that had been eating me.

"I-is he going to live?"

Washington's POV

For the third time, I found myself in the field of flowers where I had met Aphrodite. Everything was the same, except...

There were black storm clouds swirling in the sky, menacingly hanging above me. Taunting me.

"Well, well, well. Look who has come here again."

Aphrodite stood in front of me, arms crossed. Her blonde hair flew in the wind, and instead of her normal rose pink dress, she was dressed in a white, frilly shirt and black pants.

"My lady." I bowed, noticing that there was no pain from my arm. Glancing down, I noticed that the knife wound was gone. Then my face paled when I noticed the changes in the environment.

"Shite. Am I dead?" I whispered, shivering as a cold wind blasted through the field.

"Not yet. But, you will be if you don't listen well to my only solution for your predicament." Aphrodite smirked suddenly, giggling lightly. "I know you're just going to loove it."

I stared. "Was that sarcasm?" I asked, grinning despite the situation. Who knew the goddess of love would be such a fan of sarcasm?

"Yep! Anyways, what I was thinking of doing is something that I am only allowed to do twice every century." said Aphrodite, snapping her fingers. Out of nowhere, a table and two chairs appeared, and she sat down in one, offering me the other.

"And what is that?" I inquired, sitting down and propping my elbows on the table. Before all you etiquette-conscious people jump on me, in my defense I had just nearly died! I deserved a break!

"What I was thinking of doing was this: giving you and Alice each other's memories, therefore uniting you fully in your bond. When in each other's presence, soulmates who have completed their bond keep the other alive, therefore allowing you to live after what should have been a fatal wound. I would highly recommend you follow through with this plan, seeing as Charles Lee will be able to become the General of the army if you don't. I'm sorry if that sounds like a threat to you, but I have to do what I have to do in order to secure the future of America."

My eyes met Aphrodite, and we had a stare down for a few minutes, during which she waited patiently for my response.

"Okay, so we're doing this."

"Before you leave, George, I have some words for you. Number one: WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING TRUSTING CHARLES LEE!" she shouted the last part, and I rubbed my ears. Gods, her voice was piercing. Even more so than the voice of John Adams, and that was saying something.

"I-I," I attempted to defend myself, but I could not think of a response. "I don't know."

"Well, you've learned from your mistake." Her face softened, and she patted me on the shoulder. "I trust you won't repeat it."

"I don't think I will." I said, shaking my head.

"Good. Also, the Memory Sharing will begin tomorrow night. I shall warn Alice." Aphrodite began to fade away, just as the sun rose. I stood up hastily, running my hand through my hair.

"Thank you," I called just as she disappeared completely.

The only response I got was the howling of the wind.

My eyes started to blink open, blinded by the light. I attempted to make out different shapes, but everything was so blurry.

Finally, my vision cleared, and I saw Alice standing by my bedside with Gilbert, who was pacing the room anxiously. She grinned when she saw me stirring.

"Gil! He's awake!"

Gilbert turned around, and let out a breath of relief.

"Thank the Gods. I thought for sure..." He left his sentence hanging, afraid to complete it.

I glanced over to my arm, and noticed that the wound was neatly bandaged up, but it was still weak.

But I could take a little pain.

At least I stayed alive.