Tragedy (Request)

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@Mochamouse thank you so so much for this amazing request!

One man can only go through so much heartache.

His father left when he was young.

His mother died in his arms.

The hurricane destroyed his town, but he couldn't seem to die.

His cousin 'left'.

John was dead thanks to some rubbish redcoat.

His son, Phillip, was swept away thanks to a deadly duel.

And now his Eliza, sweet caring Eliza was gone. Died from smallpox and heartbreak. Dead. That word was nothing new to Alexander but that word associated with Eliza? With his son? With John? With his Mother?

Death was cruel to all, but to Alexander he knew it was taunting him. Death loved to play cat and mouse with Alexander, but instead of catching Alex, it caught everyone he had ever loved.

Everyone, but one man.

Alexander didn't know what to do. After the death of his beloved Eliza his father-in-law, Philip Schuyler, took back the house he had gifted Alexander and Eliza as a wedding gift. He said it was "What he got for cheating on Eliza." Philip had told Alexander he was nothing without a woman that was so helpless she couldn't bear to divorce Alexander. Eliza had forgiven him, but no one else did.

Alexander didn't have a job as he had quit his job to stay with Eliza after their son's death.

He was homeless, jobless, and all alone.

But would that one man who still might care be there for Alexander? Could he trust Washington, would he even help Alexander?

Sully Washington would also not want anything to do with Alexander. But it was worth a try and Alexander had no other ideas.

So without another plan in mind he set off to Virginia.

"I'm coming father, I'm coming."

++++++++

Alexander took enough money to make it by carriage to Virginia, not knowing thieves were out. He woke up one night to all of his money gone which meant he couldn't pay for carriage rides, food, water anything.

But he had to walk on and Washington was his only hope. And so he did.

Every night he would collapse on the side of the dirt paths, blisters on his feet and thought as dry as sand. Bugs nipped at his open skin, unprotected by the now raggedy clothes.

Alexander for the first time in years felt like a boy again. But not in a fun way. He was now thankful that when his mother hand left him, that he had some money.

But now he was homeless, his good name destroyed. All that hard work fighting a war and making a constitution, setting up national banks and systems that would no doubt last generations.

Alexander could only hope that Washington would take him in as he did oh so many years ago.

Alexander could only pray.

+++++++

As Alexander stumbled up the drive to the grand house he felt the eyes of the enslaved staring him down. He felt bad for them, understood only a mere half of their pain yet the man couldn't bear the weight of it.

"I'm gonna lead the first black battalion!" John's hopeful voice rang in his head. Maybe he could free them, if Alexander recovered. If Washington took him in.

No doubt Washington had heard of Alexander's misdeeds. No doubt he knew Eliza had died.

He walked between men and women, children carried baskets and horses carried grain. Alexander had never been to Washington's estate but now he wished he had. The grounds were sprawling, covered in fruit trees with a warm golden sun shining in the sky. Few gray clouds were painted on the bright blue backdrop and Alexander could only stare at it in awe.

A stray bird flew high above, watching Alexander with beady eyes and the white headed bird called his battered cry, a sign of freedom but not for all. At least, not yet.

He pushed himself to the grand front door. The carved and stained dark wood seems to suck the light out of the world and keep it hidden behind shut doors.

Alexander raised his hand to knock, once, twice, three times. He stood there, his slumped figure leaning against a pillar of stone.

A man opens the door, dressing in blue robes. He wore a pair of glasses but he wasn't Washington much to Alexander's sadness.

"Oh dear! Who might you be sir?" The man asked upon seeing Alexander's condition. Alexander lifted his tired eyes up to look at the man.

"A-Alexander-"

"Hamilton?" The man guessed and Alexander nodded. "Oh god, I'll get Washington, come in, come in."

Alexander nodded and dragged his tired aching body inside. The man scurried off to another room and Alexander got to look around. The hardwood floors shown clean, the walls decorated with the finest of paintings outlined with gold frames. A sweeping staircase led upstairs and entrance ways led to other rooms.

The sound of footsteps tore Alexander's attention from the beautiful room and over too...

Washington.

He stood there, the enslaved man (Who greeted Alexander at the door) by his side.

Washington's face flushed with anger and Alexander flinched back, his hand covering his torso and his body stiffening. Washington glared at Alexander for a hard moment before really taking a good look at the injured boy.

His face turned from blind rage to pity. He pitied Alexander.

"Alexander, are you ok?" He asked as he rushed forward, hugging Alexander tightly. Alexander melted into the hug, pushing his face into Washington's chest. Tears started pouring down his face and his body racking with sobs.

"D-Da-Dad!" He cried. "S-She's gone!"

Washington patted Alexander on the back comfortingly. "I know son, I know."

"Sh-She's al-l I had le-eft!" Alexander sobbed.

"I know son,"

"A-And I have nowhere else to go and I thought- but then I was robbed- and I'm here-"

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up son."

"T–Thanks dad." Alexander sniffled.

"Of course, Alexander."

+++++++++

"-And that's what happened." Alexander finished up explaining. He and Washington were sitting on a bed in one of the great rooms. The bed was a sunny yellow, contrasting the dark events that were being explained.

Washington let out a breath, "That's. A lot Alexander."

"Yeah," He agreed.

Washington looked out the small window, night had fallen over the land and the bugs chirped their night time songs. A hum, a buzz filling the crisp night air from under a blanket of stars.

"It's getting late, you should go to bed."

Alexander hummed in agreement. He clambered into the bed, the fluffy quilt sheets flopping everywhere.

Washington sighed and grabbed the edge of the quilt, setting it in place over Alexander's skinny, cold body.

"Sleep well, Son." Washington said but it fell on deaf ears and Alexander was already lulled into sleep, drifting through the dream realm.


:D

Vote. -Riley 2022

- Riley

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