When Stars Align || G. Lafayette

Chapter 13

Both our heads snapped forward, eyes widening at the sudden sound as my hand instinctively flew to the pistol I had at my hip. Maria grumbled several inaudible words, yawning as she sat up behind me.

"Wusgoinon?"

I swallowed roughly. "Stay calm."

"Why? Why do I need to stay calm? What's happening?" Her tone grew steadily more panicked, and I sighed.

"It's... a gunshot. Far from us. We don't know if it's anyone who would be looking to hurt us, but we just have to stay on guard as we ride through here," I explained, drawing in a shaky breath.

"You mean we're still going through!?"

I winced slightly; I could imagine her terrified expression well enough without having to see it. "It's not a huge risk we're taking, but it is a necessary one."

"King, are you sure?" Lafayette's voice wavered as I glanced over at him, and I gave him a concerned nod.

My eyes widened once again as from the gunshot stemmed hoofbeats, headed in our direction. I heard my own sharp inhale accompanied by that from the two people around me.

"Sounds like we don't have a choice," I muttered before spurring York into just a walk, trying to remain as natural as possible as we approached whoever was headed our way.

Several minutes passed, and while the hoofbeats remained consistent, we didn't cross paths with anyone, hostile or otherwise. At some point, I began to question what I'd heard, and if it had really been in front of me, but that's when I spotted them--two redcoats on horseback galloping toward us at full speed.

I bit down hard into my bottom lip. Would they dare attack when we had a child with us? I couldn't imagine. But with redcoats, we could never be sure.

It was a matter of minutes before we finally met, and they essentially skidded to a halt upon finding us. We went to continue through, but the wider man drew his pistol and cocked it, and I found myself staring into the barrel of a gun. I gulped.

"I-is there something you... you need, sir?" I asked, trying to give him a small smile.

"Don't even try it," he snarled, "you know very well this is a stickup."

The other one (with the extremely long nose) was quick to draw his gun as well. "You best empty those big bags you been carrying, or we just gonna have to shoot ya."

My eyes widened. The bags. The battle plans. We certainly couldn't afford to lose them to these men. Lafayette and I shared a panicked glance, and my hand crept to my pistol.

"I'm afraid there's nothing in there that you'd find all that exciting," I responded as calmly as I could manage. He huffed.

"I'd like to judge that for myself."

And I took a deep breath, and it one fluid motion, twisted his gun upwards while drawing mine with my other hand and aiming at his partner.

"No can do," I hissed, "now get out of here before I shoot you both."

He chuckled dryly. "You think you've got us? Oh boy, what kind of robbers would we be if we didn't carry knives, hmm?" With that, he drew a dagger from his bag, and I gulped. "Now, would you rather lose the contents of that bag or your right hand?"

I cocked the pistol in my left hand. "I'll shoot your partner," I shakily threatened. He smiled maliciously.

"And he'll shoot yours. Your point being?"

I sighed. "Alright. Alright, I'll comply." I lowered my left arm, holstering the gun I held, and with my right arm, yanked his from his hand. He opened his mouth to rebuke me, but I rolled my eyes before cutting him off. "You'll forgive me if I don't entirely trust you," I scowled before turning away and swinging my leg over the side of York's saddle to dismount.