History Has Its Eyes On You ~ A Hamilton Fanfiction (Book 1, Act 1)

Freedom Of Speech

°~5th October, 1781~°

°~6:31p.m.~°

(Y/N POV)

"We're almost ready for our first parallel!" Washington announced. The group of soldiers intent on listening clapped in unison. Of course, not everyone could hear him from the enormous crowd that had formed. Alexander and I were lucky enough to make it near to the front. "As we speak, miners are marking the path of the trenches where we will strike with all of our force!" This time, the soldiers cheered; some struck their fists into the air.
"Grind them into dust!!" someone declared rather aggressively.

Whilst Washington spoke, I glanced to my side. Burr was quietly stood beside me, immersed into the speech. "Burr!" I whispered, tapping his shoulder.
He exchanged two looks before realising that I was even though. "M- Miss Hamilton!" he exclaimed in a hushed tone.

Burr seemed to be staring at Hamilton cautiously. Almost as a precaution that he would not be caught. "How are you finding the war?" I distracted him.
"Pleasant, I suppose. In a way that we are reaching for victory, not one that hundreds have lost their lives."
"I agree. I'm glad you're alright, Burr."
Burr cleared his throat and glared past me again. "...Yes..."

I turned. Alexander had caught our interaction. So much as I was concerned, he and Burr were friends. Well... more like acquaintances. Ever since I was discovered to be Sophie Hamilton, and not really Charlie Miller, they just... stopped communicating. Nevertheless, Alexander was on high guard of anyone at this current moment and I was constantly chained to his wrist. Not even Cornelius, the one assigned to keep me under protection, was allowed sources of exchange if he was around.

"Sophie, come with me." Alexander commanded.
"But the speech-"
"Come with me."

He guided me with a firm hand on my shoulder out of the crowd. I leaned upon a tree as he paced from side to side. "Alright, we're going to have to apply regulations if this is what it is coming to."
"Alexander, it's Burr, you trust Burr!"
"That doesn't mean that you can go talking to him whenever you please!"
I grunted. "You're being completely unreasonable! So now I'm not allowed freedom of speech, is that it?! I've got to stay by your side like a... like an obedient poodle?!"
"That is not what I-"

"It is, Alexander!! And I'm so, so fed up of it!!" I held my hands into the air in a protest against him. "You treat me like a child, as if I'm your daughter! You are acting as if this myth of you being my uncle is suddenly a reality!!"
He hovered his index finger over my lips. "Don't speak so loudly!"
"Oh I'll speak my mind because I can say whatever I damn well want to!" I moved his hand away from my face and stood aside. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to ask General Washington if I can assist the miners.

And you can't tell me otherwise."

~

"You take ze pine," -The miner took a strip of pine- "and lay it on ze sand." He placed it down at the tip of his boot. "Yes?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Good." He was a stout Frenchman, hunched over whilst carrying a tower of pine for himself. He wandered off to lay out his portion of tracks.

Engraved into the wet sand were markings of where the trenches would be made. All I had to do was put strips of pine over those markings for they would fade rather quickly. It was a simple process: take a strip, put it down, move ahead. Take a strip, put it down, move ahead. But if it could get me away from Alexander and his aggravating 'restrictions' then it was worth it.

Half an hour had passed, at least. No one to socialise with, no one to accompany me. It was nice, I will admit, but I felt... empty. I positioned my hands onto my back, arching back into them and distinguishing a sudden crack. Relief. I noticed that the sand started to rustle and peered to my left: Cornelius. This man always knew where to find me, didn't he?