Eighty-Six

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I needed to blend in. My red, cut up dress and bleeding skin weren't helping. People gasped and tumbled as I shoved past, limping. I heard the soldiers shout and I turned into an alley.

I bumped into someone and they staggered back. "Where is she?!" I heard. I yelped and ducked behind the stranger. It was a woman, so I crouched behind her skirts. She stiffened but didn't move as soldiers ran past.

After a few moments, she gripped my arm and tugged me up to look at her.

She had dark brown hair, almost black. Her eyes were dark forest green. She was about my height and lean, eyes hone with experience. Her dress was a bright teal and a bit showy.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you daft?" She quietly scolded. I tugged my arm away and she surveyed me, color leaking from her face. "Dear God, girl! What have you been through?" She asked, lifting my arm to look at it.

I sighed and shook my head, a dizzy feeling surrounding me. "Tortured." I breathed.
"L-Loyalist or-or p-patriot?" I asked, the ground swaying slightly beneath my feet.

She surveyed me again, debating to tell me the truth. "Patriot." She finally said. I sagged in relief. "I-I'm Y/F/N S-Schuyler, th-the General's d-daughter."

She gasped. White splotched my vision as I swayed. I fainted right in her arms.

                                      * *

I felt warm, a soft object under me. I was lying down. I recalled what happened. I was sitting, then I saw C/N. We grappled and I had him pinned. I ran and found a girl. Then I fainted. Was she loyalist or patriot? I couldn't recall.

I opened my eyes and shot up, head clouding. I groaned and blinked my eyes a few times. "Well hello again." A voice said from beside me. I flinched and turned.

The girl was sitting in a chair beside the bed I was in, and she was stitching my gown! I brushed away a few strands of my now clean hair.

"Your wounds are healing well. Your limp should be healed." She went on. She stood and held up my gown. It was good as new!

I blinked at the astounding handiwork. "Thanks." I said, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. I was just in a nightgown, one that wasn't mine.

"You'll have to pack this away. Red is too noticeable right now." She said, folding my dress and putting it inside of a bag. I hopped off the bed, my shins striking pain through me. I hissed and my knees buckled.

The girl scowled and helped me to a stand. "Take it easy. Sit while I get you a new dress." She ordered. I grunted as I sat in her seat. "I never got your name." I said through gritted teeth.

She walked over to a closet to my left. "Amanda Green." She said as she ruffled through dozens of multicolored dresses.

"Nineteen. Patriot. Working girl, as a proper way to put it." I blinked against the bare truth. "Nice to meet you, Amanda. You already know my name." I said and she plucked an orange dress. She shook her head and put it back.

"Yes, but why are you here?" She asked, grabbing a pale blue dress that resembled Elizabeth's.

I cleared my throat as the feeling of defeat overwhelmed me. "Quite the long story." I said. "In short, I came here from Albany to save the love of my life. I fought and captured British redcoats at seas pretending to be a man. When I got here, I found out my fiancé was a redcoat spy and tortured me. That's when I bumped into you."

She dropped the blue dress. "Well isn't that the damnedest, most dangerous story I've heard in my entire life." She said quietly, picking up the dress.

She looked to me. "Any color preference? Besides red." She stated. I've only worn red for years! At least a decade! But if it calls for it, I shall stop briefly. I tilted my chin up. "Not blue, pink, or yellow. If you don't mind." I said politely.

She nodded and put the dress back, pulling out a lavender one. She walked over and showed it to me.

It had dark lavender fabric over, leaving a triangle of pastel purple fabric down the center, the peak at my waist line. It was detailed with silver threading and small pearls. It was a bit bulky, but fabulous. The bodice was dark lavender with a fancy cross stitch of silver thread, small jewels imbedded in it. How could she afford this?! My family could barely!

"A gift from someone on the royal staff. Wedding gift, to be precise." She said as I stood. "I can't take it!" I argued. She scoffed and shoved it into my hands.

"He had an affair with my sister and tried to take me to South Carolina to start a family." She said balantly. I gawked and grabbed the dress. "A-Alright." I said quietly.

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