What Happens By Candlelight

Chapter Sixteen: Snow Day

~Still At The Camp~

"Thomas!" Edward seethed at his brother, who made a little too much noise when shifting through the Lieutenant Colonel's papers. The superior officer shuffled, an unconscious reaction to the sound and cold.

"If you'd give me some more light, then maybe I'd finish this faster!" His words were whispered, but rough. Edward could only glare as he pushed the light of his lantern closer to Thomas. Together, their eyes skimmed through different letters and documents, picking out important information. 

It had become easier as the war progressed, seeing as the Lieutenant Colonel was currently being haunted by the horrid actions and imagines from the battlefield. If he woke up, then it'd be easy to say they heard him making noise, so they came to check on him. It had worked in the past, so there was no doubt it would continue to work now. 

"Wait-" Edward snatched the letter out of Thomas' hands, scanning over the handwriting used in the short message. "This is... Christina's handwriting..."

Thomas snatched it back, staring at his sister's signature at the bottom of the page. When he saw the feminine handwriting, he had assumed it was Miss Madeline's. It was no secret that the General's eldest daughter harbored feelings for the Lieutenant Colonel. This, however, was a complete shock to the brothers.

"They've been writing to one another?" Edward picked the half-written letter off of the portable desk, surprised to see the softer tone that was implied in the letter. "And he plans to get us back a few days early?"

The two shared a look.

"We have to tell her-"

"No Thomas. If we do that, then we ruin everything. We've worked too hard for it all to fall at our feet," placing the letters back, the two men silently crept out of their superior's office. It was nearly pitch blackout, and the only men up were the ones on the lookout on the other side of the camp. 

"Besides," he began once they were closer to their tents, which were side by side, "How do you think she'd react?"

"Conflicted, confused, probably angry," Thomas listed them off on his fingers, "but probably happy that we were finally sincere enough to tell her the truth. How will she react if we continue to lie? What about the war? If the British win, then we continue to fake our alliances? If the Americas win, then we come out as spies? She'll be put at risk no matter what we do."

"Exactly: if we tell her and they find out, then she'll be hanged with the rest of us, but if we don't tell her, then no one will have any proof that she knew. Our main goal is to keep her safe. We promised," the promise they made over a decade ago hung between them in silence. While Christina may think they had forgotten, they had done anything but forget. Everything they did revolve around that one action.

Each gave each other a heated look before disappearing behind their tents.

~Christina's Perspective, Five Days Later~

The garden was freezing, and little grew over the fresh snow that littered the ground. I had no idea why I wanted to come outside. Other than Timothy, who begged and pleaded until I finally gave in to his request to play in the snow. He was happily running around, creating small hills in the snow and throwing balls at imaginary targets.