The Price of Love

Chapter 7

Lafayette's PoV

After months of sea travel, we finally reach Manhattan, New York. It's not exactly what I was expecting, if I'm honest. It's pretty plain, with muted colors. Totally different from France. I see the place we will be docking at, and I'm a little shocked. There's a ship there that's being torn apart, stripped of everything. And the wooden dock itself is in quite a state. There's dried blood all over it and many splinterings that look like they were made from cannonballs. Everything here looks a little, or a lot, run down. Fifteen minutes later, our boat docks at what I'm pretty sure is called Kips Bay. By now, there is quite a crowd of people, and they're all cheering. I don't understand what they're saying as I don't speak English, but I get the feeling they are very happy to see us. Not sure exactly why though. I decided it might be a good idea to start moving the supplies from below on deck so we can take them off the ship. Having gotten no invitation to come off our ship yet, we stay put. After about half an hour, people on the ship start whispering. "The General's coming."

"Here comes the General."

"Do you see him?"

"Where is he?"

"Anyone know what he looks like?"

"Here he comes."

"This is the moment we've been waiting for."

"Look, is that him?" I search the crowd and see it starting the split into two groups, forming a path for a lone figure to walk across.

"That can't be him."

"No way that's the famous General Hamilton."

"Impossible."

"Pardon me, may I be allowed to board your ship?" The man calls up to us in near-perfect French.

"Lower the gangplank and let him aboard." I order. He grins and walks up, limping slightly. When he walks onto the deck, he bows.

"General Alexander Hamilton. I'm so grateful that you were able to come and assist us." He says, his words full of gratitude. "Who here is in charge?"

"That would be me." I say, walking up to him. I'm a little shocked. This is the infamous General Hamilton? If I'm honest, he's not what I expected. We've all heard stories about him. I expected someone much taller and much older. "Major Lafayette." I introduce myself. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I've heard great things about you." His cheeks turn a little red.

"Please, the pleasure is mine. Now, would you and your men like to come to land? We have adequate places for you to stay, though I doubt they're anything like what you're used to, living in France."

"Yes, that'd be nice." I dip my head respectfully and turn to my men that are on deck. "We're going to shore boys, so start unloading everything!" I bark. "What should they do with the supplies we brought?" I ask the General.

"Bring it to Sergeant, no, sorry, First Lieutenant Dodgson. If you can, please have your men separate their supplies from what will go to my people. He'll get a team to take your supplies to the housing we've built to accommodate you and he'll make sure that the supplies for my people get dolled out correctly." He says, walking down the gangplank. He yells something in English and I hear the name 'Dodgson.' A man in I'd guess his mid-thirties marches up. They exchange a few words, I hear my name, they talk for another minute, then General Hamilton waves him off with a smile. "Okay, that's sorted out. Now if you'd have your men follow me, that'd be great, and I'll show you where you're staying." I relay what he says up to the ship and the two hundred men aboard all follow behind us. The General gasps softly, his eyes shining with emotion. "This-this means a lot. That you're here and that you're helping us." He says, his voice cracking a little. "Okay, follow me. So this is Kips Bay, and it looks super fucked up right now because we just drove off a British attack three hours ago. That ship that's docked is one of their ships we're stripping. We have a lot of houses up, but I wasn't expecting an entire battalion, so quarters will be a little cramped I'm afraid."

"That's fine. I appreciate that you set up living space for us at all. You didn't have to, we could live on our ships for a while." A look of horror crosses his face.

"Of course I had to! You're my guests, my allies! Didn't have to my ass." He scoffs. I think he's saying that basically, the idea of him not supplying us with living space is unthinkable and he feels obligated to do so. He chats with me as he leads me and my men through New York, pointing out different shops and places. "Here you are!" He exclaims after a while, pointing to almost a hundred wooden houses. "We just finished a few weeks ago, these are all brand new, made for you guys." He looks up expectantly at me, a happy smile on his face.

"I-I don't know what to say. T-thank you." I say. He seems satisfied with that answer.

"Settle in, get your men situated, I'll be back later. Or if you want, you can put someone else in charge for now and come meet my father." He offers.

"I'll come with you." I decide. "Banet! Set everyone up in these houses." I order my second-in-command.

"Yessir!" I turn back to the General.

"Alright, follow me." He says, turning about walking back the way we came. I notice the way he walks changes, he slouches ever so slightly and he lets his arms swing freely at his sides, and the authoritative air around him is reduced significantly, but still there. He calls to someone and he jogs up to us. They talk in English for a few seconds. "Major, this is my friend John Hawkins, John, this is Major Lafayette of the French Army."

"Pleased to meet you." I say. He stares blankly at me. The General says something to him in English.

"Sorry, he doesn't understand French. He says it's nice to meet you too." The General explains. They talk for a few minutes, then the other man leaves. "We, my father and I that is, live about five minutes away from here." He says. "So not too much longer."

"It's fine, I don't mind a bit of a walk." I reply.

"Oh, for us army people, five minutes is about two steps." He jokes, elbowing me playfully. I chuckle.

"Indeed." I agree. Before I know it, we're at his house. A simple, plain wood house, no different from any of the others. He opens the door and yells in English. A large, broad-shouldered man walks out of a room in the hallway.

"Come in, this is my dad, George Washington." He says to me, Washington? George Washington? Isn't he the King of New York? I quickly bow to both of them, realizing who they are. "You don't have to do that." He says quickly, his face reddening. "We're not like that. And 'sir' will be fine." I straighten up. The King and Prince talk a little, then the Prince leaves. "Don't worry, he speaks French too!" He calls over his shoulder as he retreats elsewhere in the house.

Laffy Taffy :D

-Bottomless