Rebel (Civil War Period)

Chapter 8..

"Georgiana!" I looked towards the direction the voice came from, and it took me a while to make out Fred, my cousin. I was still deep in thought, thinking back to the previous two days... Fred embraced me tightly, ripping me into reality. "I am so glad to see you unharmed, we were all worried about you. We all just returned now, too, having spent the last two days in the Union's camp. Uncle Richard had been close to sending out a search party for you, but had been busy with his military duties."

Of course. As always, the country came before family. This time, however, I was glad about it.

"Are they all well?"

My cousin's face became dark and worried, and I feared the worst. "Lisa is still missing, and so are Marianne and Eva. We're hoping they made it to another village or so..."

I felt deeply sorry for him, not knowing what happened to his sisters. I only hoped they and Marianne would turn up safely... Although I had to say, as harsh as it sounds, ever since I had taken care of the Confederates those two years ago, our relationship had cooled off. She had never told Father, for which I was grateful, but she always looked at me with contempt in her eyes. It was a price I was willing to pay.

We walked through the once glorious town, now destroyed, with damaged villas left and right of the street, various objects - and bodies - laying on the ground. I thanked God for my strong stomach, otherwise I might not have taken these sights as well. I didn't want to look to close at the corpses, fearing I might identify a friend or family member...

Then I stared right at her. Lisa. A red dot on her forehead. Her eyes staring into nothingness.

"Oh, God." I breathed, and wanted to hold Fred back, but he had already sighted his dead sister, letting out a heart-breaking wail and storming over to her.

I felt tears welling up in my eyes, and contempt at myself. Here I stood in a city destroyed by the army of the man I loved - in whose arms I lay while my family was suffering - and I still found that I did not hate him, nor did the longing in my heart ease.

While I helplessly stood beside my new horse, holding its reins in my hand and watching Fred holding his dead sister in his arms, crying over her, I heard another cry, a lighter one. "Gegina!"

I whirled around and saw Eva running towards me with her hands stretched out to me. She could not pronounce my name properly, but was always delighted to see me. Now I would have to keep Fred and Lisa out of her sight. She was far too young to see. "Eva, dear!" I let the reins fall from my hand and hurried towards her, taking her up in my arms. As I cradled her against my chest, I saw Marianne walking up to me, following Eva. "Marianne! I'm so relieved you're alive and well." I sighed with truly felt relief. I should appreciate my sisters more, that I realised now, seeing how it was to lose one. "Where is William? Mama and Papa?"

"They're all fine, I believe. At least, I have heard that they are safe at the Union's camp. And I have heard that Father has set a reward of thousands of dollars on the general of the Confederate's army."

I felt like punched in the stomach, but kept my cool. I was not allowed to show any emotion. "Since when are rewards set out on a soldier's head?"

"Since Papa decided so. He personally wants to kill Jasper Whitlock."

20th January 1863

But Jasper did not do anything! I was a witness of that. Those had been mercenaries!

Those are the words I want to scream out loud, but have to bottle up inside of me. I have to watch helplessly while the Union is planning a severe attack on Jasper's army, even though he had nothing to do with the attack on this city! How am I supposed to tell them, though?