Yet another snowstorm came down over us and blanketed the world with more white. No one said much on the way out of the British camp. I rode my horse just behind Luthias's and recited Bible verses in my head: it kept my mind off of the gloomy feeling in my gut. Even Luthias seemed uneasy, but the others didn't say anything if they noticed it. The urge to touch his hand was painfully overwhelming and I kept having to push it back down inside.
This is no time to act like the silly little girl you are, I thought to myself, even if you both survive this war, he might not want you.
I wished right then I had never thought that, as it started a chain reaction. No man would have me for his wife…I had already given myself away. I would be forced to live either alone or with some other family as a maid or a nanny.
"What's the matter with you?" Luthias hissed in a whisper only I could hear. I didn't realize until then that a tear had trickled down my cheek. Hastily, I wiped it away and pretended I hadn't heard him.
Whither thou goest, I will go…I remembered from the book that had my real name.
Suddenly, the world exploded. Men came pouring out from around the trees. The little town lay just ahead, seemingly innocent of the fierce battle just a mile or two away. I realized in horror that the men attacking us had British uniforms.
"What in the earth..." Luthias snarled just before someone shot at him. He dodged the bullet and his horse whirled around to face the attacker. It amazed me so much that rider and mount could so easily become one. I drew my sword and nudged mine into a hard run beside Darrell. My sword sang as it sliced through the air. I didn't bother looking at the faces of the men I struck: I was too afraid I'd get sick and stop fighting if I did. Heinrich was firing his musket rounds into one soldier after another. There were minor injuries on our side, but nothing like the blood we spilled of the British. Luthias was snapping out commands and our unit was moving like well-choreographed dancers. Eventually, we found Nathaniel trying to hide in a bush.
"I didn't want to do it, honest! I was told to take you out!" he wailed.
Luthias pressed his sword against the older man's neck just enough to draw a drop or two of blood.
"Are there any others expecting us?" Luthias asked acidly.
"Yes…they're waiting for you in that clearing over there," Nathaniel sniveled, "they're hiding in the trees."
"I see…and what else haven't you told me?"
Another drop of blood trickled into Nathaniel's collar.
"Hiring you Hessians was the worst mistake we ever made! You care about nothing but yourselves! 'We need higher pay, better uniforms, better horses'. Our men are starving because of you!"
Luthias gave him an "are you serious" look.
"Maybe it's because we are trying not to freeze," Luthias said calmly, "and because we know how to ration our food. You care nothing about your men and you treat them as though they are very easily replaceable. You are mistaken…I hope you know your God well, for He will be the next thing you see just before you meet the depths of Hell."
The slice was so fast that I didn't even register the movement until I saw Nathaniel's limp body.
It had no head. I sucked in a deep breath and Luthias cleaned his sword with a handful of snow. He turned to look at me and I knew exactly what his expression said.
"How did you know?" he demanded.
"It was the look in his eye every time he spoke to you," I said shakily, "it was as though he thought you weren't good enough for him."
