The States

The American Revolution, Part Eight, 1781

XX. Generals and Colonels
When you're living on your knees, you rise up; Tell your brother that he's gotta rise up; Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up
-My Shot, Hamilton

SC- January 5, 1781*
Ginny isn't screaming, but she looks like she's about to bite through her lip and tears stream down her face.

Wes isn't crying, despite the fact that pain and tension is written in every line of his body.

Richmond is burning.

Cowpens, SC- January 17, 1781*
They could sometimes sense when something was about to happen, and felt drawn to their people.

Danny catches a glimpse of Scarlett, one hand on her cavalry sword, the other grasping her horse's reigns.

Del has disappeared into the ranks of the company from Delaware, who create room for her without knowing why they should.

Scott's eyes are closed and Daniel almost misses Ginny brushing her knuckles against Scott's as she passes.

They all move into the ranks of their people and prepare for a battle.

"Ready?" David asks.

"Always."
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Morgan puts them between two rivers.

There will be no retreating.
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The plan is working, they all realize. The British think the lines are retreating, when really they're withdrawing and reforming in the back.
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America looks so proud when they bring home the Cowpens flag.*

NC- January 1781*
England runs a hand over the map.

If he knows America, then the boy will be with this Nathanael Greene.

And so the best place for him to be would be with Cornwallis, who wants to destroy Greene's army.
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Alfred wonders where he went wrong with the states.

The entire march has consisted of them wrecking havoc- splashing at each other during river crossings, lobbing underhanded compliments at one another, singing Yankee Doodle Dandy until they got bored with it began making up new verses, comparing new scars, racing horses, and their new favorite pastime: mocking and/or complaining about England. (Sam, it turns out, can do a very good British accent.)

"I think England's actually a pyromaniac."* Connie states matter-of-factly, and where the hell did that come from?

Alfred voices that.

Brooke huffs. "Um, New York?"

"We haven't proved that was arson."

Sam crosses her arms, letting go of Nan's reins as she does so, and Alfred shoves down the mother hen response to that. "Let's see, Charlestown-"

"Falmouth-"

"Danbury, Fairfield-"

"Don't forget Charleston!"

"And Kingston!"

"The traitor burnt Richmond."

"Alright, I get it." America said before they got too agitated.

Sam wasn't finished. "And he may not have set the fire, but when Boston burned in 1760 and my people went to Parliament for help, they took two years to even acknowledge the request! And they never did give them any aid!"*

The other states nodded in an agreement.

At least they weren't arguing.

VA- February 15, 1781*
They cross the Dan into Virginia and the states smile, secure in the knowledge that Cornwallis and his army is stranded on the North Carolina side.