Corset in Congress (A Hamilton Genderbend)

Chapter Fifteen: Ten Duel Commandments

Burr's POV

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!

"It's the Ten Duel Commandments," say Laurens, Lee, Alexandra and me. It's imperative that the Commandments be recited before every duel. Someone somewhere decreed it so that everyone knows exactly what's happening.

The soldiers around us number them off. "Number one!" they shout.

"The challenge: demand satisfaction. If they apologize, no need for further action," says Laurens, the challenger. Of course he shows no fear, dancing around and laughing with Alexandra like he does this on weekends.

"Number two!"

Laurens keeps the narrative rolling. "If they don't, grab a friend, that's your second."

"Your lieutenant when there's reckoning to be reckoned!" Finishes Alexandra, who is Laurens' second. If anything happens to her because of this, Laurens is going to get hit.

"Number three!"

Lee takes his turn. "Have your seconds meet face to face!" 

Alexandra and I meet in the middle of the field. "Negotiate a peace," I say when we are close enough, holding my hand out to her. Hopefully we can end this matter here and now.

"Or negotiate a time and place," she responds, declining the handshake. That's just typical. She still thinks she has something to prove.

"This is commonplace, especially between recruits," I say. The troops behind he join in for the next line. "Most disputes die and no one shoots!"

"Number four!"

Laurens says, "If they don't reach a peace, that's alright. Time to get some pistols and a doctor on site." 

"You pay her in advance, you treat her with civility," says Alexandra, while bringing forward one of the female soldiers, a medic, to stand on the sidelines.

Taking the woman by the shoulders, I gently spin her around so she's facing the other way. "You have her turn around so she can have deniability."

"Five!"

"Duel before the sun is in the sky!" Lee says this, and I dwell on the reason for it. So the participants can have a chance to think things through over the night, which we already have, and so that the battlefield can be as even as possible.

"Pick a place to die where it's high and dry! Number six!"

Alexandra has a faraway look in her eyes as she says the next part, almost as if she's thinking about her family at home. "Leave a note for your next of kin. Tell them where you've been. Pray that hell or heaven lets you in."

"Seven!"

"Confess your sins, ready for the moment of adrenaline when you finally face your opponent!" says Lee, and I see how nervous he actually is. I don't blame him. If I were facing Laurens I'd be terrified too.

"Number eight!"

All of us together: "Your last chance to negotiate. Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight!"

We meet again in the field, and I see from the look on her face that this meeting is nothing more that a formality. Her hair is pulled back, her eyes are set, and there's an expression of ease on her features.

"Alexandra," I try to appeal to our friendship, hoping that might save us from this whole ordeal.

No such luck. "Aaron Burr, sir!"

That's how she's going to play this? Fine. But that doesn't mean that I won't be respectful. I can be the better man. "Can we agree that duels are dumb and immature?"

"Sure," she shrugs, the ease obvious in the fluidity of the movement. "But your man has to answer for his words, Burr."

I scoff. "With his life? We both know that's absurd!"

Immediately, her face clouds over, and all civility is gone. "Hang on," she shouts, "how many men died because Lee was inexperienced and ruinous?"

Sighing, I resign myself to the situation. "Okay, so we're doing this."

"Number nine!"

We walk off in opposite directions, and Alexandra yells the next line in an attempt to bolster everyone's bravery. "Look 'em in the eye, aim no higher! Summon all the courage you require, then count!"

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!"

"Number!" Alexandra and I shout the line together, and the company answers us, deafeningly loud.

"Ten paces!"

Then we both yell, "Fire!"

And there's a gunshot. Only one.