When Stars Align || G. Lafayette

Chapter 12

MERRY SLIGHTLY LATE CHRISTMAS!!! HERE'S YOUR PRESENT!!!!!!!

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August 15, 1779

General Washington,

I intend to keep this letter brief so as to avoid any trouble if it is to fall into British hands. We have driven the redcoats closer to the sea, and are now stationed in New Jersey, just east of the Pennsylvania border. I am meeting with Major-General Lafayette soon, and we plan to ride up to camp in New York to meet with you not long after.

I will refrain from specifying dates, but expect us within the week.

Levi King

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Letters from Lafayette had gradually lengthened and become more frequent, and I found myself grinning as he filled me in on activity around south camp, whatever was going down (something always seemed to be going down), and just his life. Hearing the stories with Herc just reminded me how much I missed my group of friends, though. I still had them, but at the same time I didn't. Not in the same way. Aside from the undertone of melancholy they gave me, the words were a source of bliss for me, something I needed in the situation I was in.

I rolled that week's third letter to him up and gave it to the boy he'd had deliver his last correspondence, thanking him before I went on my way. It was nearly sunset, and the summer's evening was warm, but not quite stifling: a bit hotter than was comfortable, but I paid it no mind.

My growling stomach only served to remind me of the deficit of food we had stored around camp, and the fact that I'd already gone without breakfast and lunch that day didn't make it better in the slightest. At that point, I needed to eat.

I sighed and stuffed my hands in my pockets before heading over to the camp's office, as well as it's storage house (among other things; it was the only building at camp). I entered through the front, and started down a hallway of rooms that I wasn't even sure of the purpose of most of. Towards the end was a room stocked with crates of food, so naturally that was precisely where I went.

But a flash of red caught my eye.

I froze halfway down the hall, waiting for any sound of movement as I slowly drew my pistol, prepared to find the enemy in the adjacent room. When another creak of the floorboards made it evident that I wasn't alone, I walked slowly towards the door that hund slightly open. I gave it a soft push, and there it revealed something I'd never have expected.

A girl no more than the age of twelve sat in the middle of the floor, her red dress a puddle around her small body. Her eyes widened upon seeing my pistol, and I saw her lips begin to tremble. My countenance was harsh, an expression of stone meant for the expected intruder, but my gaze softened at what I saw before me.

"Sir, please, y-you can't-- I'm just a kid... I don't... I don't mean harm, I swear. Please... just don't hurt me. I didn't mean to..." She trailed off as she stared into the barrel of my gun, clutching the hem of her dress. I swallowed roughly, my eyes widening.

"No, no, don't worry. I'm not.. I'm not going to hurt you," I said quickly, my forehead creasing in concern as I holstered my gun. "I just... who are you? What are you doing here?"

"I was just looking for food, I swear. Please believe me." I could see the tears welling up in her eyes, and pressed my lips together.