Him and I (Declan Harp)

Chapter 4

           

Chapter 4

Michael, Sokanon, Dimanche, and I sat in the woods, a fire crackling by us.

Declan knelt to the side of us, absorbing the map her had tucked away. One his eyes finished looking it over, he stood up, turning to Dimanche, "Go to the camp, gather our men. We'll meet you in the town."

Everyone stood up, my feet carrying me near Declan while Dimanche made it known in front of him. "Why are we going to fort James? Why do we not return to the Lake Walkers and fix this?"

"Because Machk is a fanatic and will never be our ally," Declan said, making a correct point.

"I disagree. He sees you as a European, as a threat, Harp. I should go talk to him. I can gain his trust," Dimanche objecting.

It took no genius to know that this conversation would either end in an argument or Declan silencing him. Either way, it wasn't something that would go smoothly.

Sokanon spoke up, hoping to get through to her friend, "Dimanche, Machk would kill you."

Declan nodded in agreement before carrying on, "Things have changed. We have lost our army, so we deal with Benton ourselves."

Michael looked at him questionable, "So that's why we're going to Fort James?"

"Benton's surrounded by soldiers," Sokanon spoke up next to Michael, starting to reveal that she thought this was crazy.

Hoping to show everyone that I stuck by Declan's side, I spoke up. "Then we will kill his soldiers and then we will kill him."

Dimanche looked between Declan and I like we had just said something crazy. "You're serious? He has eighty armed men. There are only five of us. Even with our entire company..."

"Go get our men and meet me in fort James," Declan caught off. He was starting to get irritated with the back talk from Dimanche. And, if we're being honest, so was I.

Declan went to turn away, only to stop when Dimanche spoke up again, "In spring, more ships will arrive full of Redcoats. This is a battle that can't be won."

"Not necessarily," Michael chirped in, gaining all of our attention. "A strike at the heart of the company would send a message that we are a serious threat, that the company's vulnerable."

Dimanche's face scrunched up in discus, gesturing to Michael. "When did this boy become one of us? We don't know him. He could slit our throats in our sleep."

Looking to the boy, Declan asked, "You going to slit our throats, Michael?"

"Well, you never know," Michael shrugged, saying it so casually that I couldn't help but smile. Though, he said that he never knew, it was obvious he was just trying to lighten up the moment.

Dimanche shook his head, seeming to see that he was the only one ready to drop everything and walk away from this. When his eyes met Declan's and the anger rose in them, I knew something was about to be said that we wouldn't like. "This obsession you and Anna have with Benton, it got Samoset killed. It will get us killed!"

In second, I had my knife pulled, seeming to have my hand on it already. I grabbed Dimanche's coat and slammed him up against a near-by tree. My knife held to his throat, my breath deep and quick as I glared into his eyes angry.

Sokanon spoke up, looking to Declan, "Harp! Stop her!"

I don't move, waiting to see what my husband will do. But when he doesn't do anything, I realize I have full control of the situation.