How to Love

Chapter Seven: "Get her"

I rode past amounts of trees, some pine while others were cherries. Dusts of dirt arose in the air as my horse galloped faster and faster. I blew the blonde hair out of my face. 

I was on my way back to the Black Swamp. I had a duty to do—telling Papa about the cargo ship that I had an idea for. If we could fit in those redcoat uniforms we took back when we ambushed those redcoats a while back and took the gunpowder we captured from the carriages also, we could very well cause the cargo ship to explode. Boy, would that ruin General Cornwallis' night. 

As I was thinking, I heard a herd of hooves thundering behind me. I turned around. A small unit of Green Dragoons followed behind me, Colonel Tavington in the front. I sighed. I slowed my horse down and waited for the Green Dragoons. 

"Is there a problem, sir?" I asked Tavington as he rode up to my horse. 

"There most certainly is. Tell me, miss, on why you are riding a horse that belongs to the British army?" He asked, but then narrowing his eyes. "If you are caught to be a thief, you will be punished." 

I was confused. I never stole a horse from the British army. "You must be mistaken, sir. I never stole this horse. I own this horse, sir." I calmly told him. "In no offense, but I do not know where you got the idea that this horse belongs to the British army." 

"Maybe from that little print there," he pointed at the side of my horse. I looked down and saw indeed there was a marking of "B.A". My mouth formed an "oh". 

"I am sorry, sir. I never noticed, but I found her and I do plan on keeping her. Besides, I need a way to get back to a friend's house," I lied. Hopefully he would not see through the lie. I did find her, but I wasn't going to a friend's house. 

"Miss, this horse belongs to the British army. As Colonel William Tavington, leader of the Green Dragoons and soldier of His Majesty's army, I have every power within me to return this horse back to the army." He snarled. "And, I have no hesitation to throw you off of that horse if you refuse to give it up." 

"Well, I do not plan to giv.." my voice was interrupted by a large gust of wind, knocking the bonnet off of my head. The colonel's eyes shined with recogniztion. 

"You!" 

"What about me?" 

"You're that bloody ignorant girl back on the santee that other week. You were there with that 'stupid boy,'" I flinched. The memory of seeing Thomas shot and laying dead in Papa's arms still was fresh in my mind. "Have you not learned your lesson to be quiet? 'Cause I will gladly force you to keep quiet and to get off that horse!"

"I don't think there will be a need to force me off of my horse, sir." I replied confidently. I was scared inside, but my face must of been showing no emotion, for he did not notice. I was scared that I was going to be found out for spying. I would then be punished harshly for it. Maybe even hanged. 

Colonel Tavington's face turned red from my words and a snarl erupted from his throat. "That horse is not yours! Give. It. Up!" 

I shook my head and we both met eyes and stared angrily at each other. He was angry; I was terrified. 

The colonel spoke again, "Then, by His Majesty, King George III, I will have you searched out of suspicion." The colonel snapped his fingers and two soldiers unmounted and grabbed my arms, forcefully dragging me off the horse.

"Hey!" I shouted. 

"Be quiet, girl," one of the soldiers hissed in my right ear. My face turned into disgust. His breath was horrible. Imagine rotten eggs, but they're in your mouth. That's how bad his breath is. 

I watched as the colonel grabbed the satchel and opened it. He pulled stuff out as he spoke, "...money, cloths, and..." his voice seemed to come to a halt as he pulled out stuff that I had shoved in there. It was undoubtedly stuff that would confirm his suspicions. 

"Why on earth would you have militia clothes and a gun, hmm?" His words questioned me, even through he knew the answer. "You already have such nice clothes. Why would you carry other clothes with you when your're a waiter?" 

I was dead. "For accidents..you know, I could fall into the mud and get my waiter clothes ruined?" I nervously said, my voice ending with a "eh". 

"Handcuff her, now." The colonel said. 

My instincts came over me. They came rushing in like a thunderstorm, with an abornmal tornado speed. I kicked the soldiers' feet at a quick, inhuman speed. I also managed to ram their heads together, giving them a nice nap. I whistled for my horse and hopped on. I was galloping towards freedom. 

"Get her!" Yelled Tavington. 

I heard hooves thundering behind me and I urged my horse to gallop faster. I pulled into a thick forest as bullets were shot at me. One grazed the end of my ear. I could feel the blood oozing out. But I didn't care. I just wanted to reach freedom. That was my goal. 

More bullets rang out, but their sound was fading. I must of been going way too fast, 'cause the Dragoons were becoming a faint image when I looked quickly. I yelled out, "this was the day you almost caught Captain Almyra Martin! Adiós!" 

I was free.