Chapter 1
?.The Encounter?
For four years straight, the Civil War had continued. Her mountain had been taken over by the Union, then by the Confederate, back and forth. However, to me, I could careless. As long as my family and friends are safe, I don?t care what happens during this war.
I gently closed the door behind me and walked over toward the table to drop the potatoes off. Hearing another shot from afar, I walked quickly towards the windows and pulled down the shutters. Frowning however, once I realized I could still hear the sounds of battle.
It was taking place in the clearing where her father had killed the mountain lion last summer. It was to close for comfort, in my opinion.
I walked around the cabin, closing off the door and windows with the iron straps that my brother-in-law, Duo, had made for purpose.
The cabin was dim, almost pitch black, with the door and windows closed but she didn?t dare use the lamp oil. Oil was too precious to, just like everything else on the mountain, to be used during the day.
She sat down on the fairly new rocking chair that Landon?s Uncle had made for a wedding gift. It wasn?t the finest chair, but its was hers to own, so it didn?t matter much. Laughing to herself, Relena thought about Sparks and how they never been much at furniture making.
The continuation of shots were heard from the battle. The Cabin was closed off and strong. However, if a direct hit from a canon ball came towards the cabin, then it would be over.
Her father had made the Cabin, and Jonathan Peacecraft was thorough in everything he did. Once his mind is set to do something, there is no stopping him.
It was a time like this when Relena disliked being away from her family and friends from the settlement, Black Wood. It wasn?t a town and it would never be consider one either. The villagers had build their own homes and planted their own food they needed to survive.
Her mother was the last stranger to move to Black Wood. She had come there as Jonathan?s bride, her language was still filled with her accent from her native Ireland. Her sister, Hilde, had taken her dark purple hair from Mama?s side of the family. In Millardo it was a plain white from Papa?s side of the family. While Relena?s was more honey brown from neither side of the family.
Jonathan had met Jane and married her, when he was visiting a cousin in Great Oaks. That had been mo re than twenty-six years ago. A year later, her older brother, Millardo, was born. It was that forbidden moment when she thought about Millardo and his well being. Since Papa had disowned him, he wasn?t to be discussed or even though of.
Five years later, after Millardo, Hilde was born. Hilde was almost a duplicate of their mother, and was father?s favorite, just as Millardo has been their mother?s favorite.
No one had ever favored me, but I had always understood why. I was always too much outspoken and rebellious to suit the settlement.
The only boy who ever showed any interest in myself was Landon Spark. More than a year ago, Landon had drunk to much whiskey and had enlisted in the Confederate army. Unlike Millardo, he had chosen the side the settlement favored. The problem was however, he had chosen to do this the week before they were to be married.
I was angry to first couple of weeks, but my temper eventually cooled down. And now I?m just lonely.
Her father had built the cabin in a pretty spot up the mountain, away from the others. It was the only place flat enough to build one.
At some points, Relena enjoyed the privacy. Or at least when they wasn?t a battle going on or when army troops weren?t passing through.
The privacy of the cabin gave her a chance to do the one thing that her family disapproved of most, to read. Books was my passion, and reading was the one thing I enjoyed most. My aunt had taught me to read during a harsh winter and there was nothing to do.
Since she moved to the cabin, she took her books from hiding in the barn into the cabin. Landon was no fonder of her reading than her father, so she didn?t plan to let him know she was still doing that.
Her sister, Hilde was married now. When Duo heard that Landon had enlisted, he signed up, as well. Before he left, he married Hilde. They had been in love ever since they were children. Hilde was just like their mother, one she fell in love, she would follow her man, and be faithful forever.
Although I never told anyone, I was disappointed that Landon hadn?t loved her enough to marry her before he went away. Especially since they made love one night in the clearing the battle was occurring. For several weeks, I had been worry that I might have been pregnant when I noticed my period being late.
Fortunately, she wasn?t pregnant and no one knew what both she and Landon had done. It was probably the main reason she became upset with Landon leaving without marrying her. Especially when their wedding had been a week away. Why had he chosen to leave at a time like that?
There was no use wondering about it now, I thought. What is done, is done. And there is nothing I can do to bring Landon back. At least now she was able to draw and read without the need to hide from people.
I also gain the ability to draw, which was another hobby of mine that I enjoy doing. Brother James Brown, Black Wood?s preacher, disliked the idea of her drawing than reading. He said it wasn?t natural to draw a thing on paper. Saying it went against God?s Laws.
I closed my eyes gently, trying to block out the sound of the battle. I tired to remember what Landon?s voice sounded like. Lately it had become harder to remember.
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The battle had lasted for hours. I stopped rocking when I noticed the guns moved father down the mountain. It didn?t make a difference to her who won. Unlike her family, she didn?t support either side.
She cautiously opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. Noticing the distance between the shouts of the soldiers, I touched lightly to feel the knife I use when cutting meat.
I made my was through the familiar woods, stopping every few feet to listen for any soldiers. When soldiers were around, the only safe place is inside your own cabin with the door firmly bolted.
She finally reached the clearing . I stopped and stared at the familiar meadow. Horses lay dead on the ground, their saddles still strapped on their backs. There were no men. While part of the winning troops chased the retreating down the mountain, the rest had stayed and gathered the dead and wounded of both sides into wooden wagons and haul them to their headquarters.
Eager to do what she had come and be away from the place, I went to the nearest horse. Horse meat wasn?t the most pleasant thing to eat, but she was taught to eat almost everything. Her smoke-house had been emptied only the week before when she went to visit her family.
And I wasn?t eager to spend the winter without meat on the tables.
As I started to work on a horse, I heard a sound. I froze and my eyes started to dart about. Were soldiers coming back?
The sound came again. I stared into the woods trying to pin-point the sound. It was no animal sound, but rather that of a man. Apparently he was in pain.
Holding the knife close to my side like Millardo had taught me, I went nearer to the sound. Every time I moved closer I heard a moan of pain and I would pause. Deciding whether to go on or flee.
Not too far inside the woods she saw the body of a horse. A man lay beside it.
As quietly as I could I went closer. I could tell her had been thrown clear when the horse fell. Judging by the way he was moving slowly, he had been unconscious when the other dead and wounded were taken away and no on had found him. His right leg and left arm were covered in blood. If the blood belonged all to him, it was a miracle he was still alive, let alone able to move and call out. By the look of his uniform, he was a officer.
I lost any fear and ran to him. He was young and handsome with unruly dark chocolate hair that was sticking to his head with sweat. His skin was pale from loss of blood. He too wore a Yankee uniform, just like her brother, Millardo.
I knelt beside him. ?Lie still and don?t move anything. Let me see how badly you?re hurt.?
It was then when he open his eyes and tried to focus on my face. My sea-blue met his deep prussian blue.
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Author?s Notes:
Okay Chapter One is finally up. Thank you for those who reviewed, I appreciate it. By the looks of it, I think this story is going to have lots of chapters. After all, the story is based on a couple of months. The way I planned it, there should be more than 20 chapters. But I am not 100% positive.
I?ll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Please review and tell me what you thought as this chapter.
its really good and very interesting..so i hope to read soon.....
....But I'll live. Heero on the other hand might have a few objections....MWHAHAHAHA!!! Your's trully..(wink)
