A Night on the Town. (Deidre)

[deaartio]

Adelaide blushed red, though she wasn’t so sure why. “O-oh... he’s sweet on you... I, um, I’m..... Happy for you...?” she stuttered.

She cleared her throat, “Uh, um... Anyways,” she said, regaining her composure.

“No, no, I-I don’t need go.” she lied, still feeling bad for what happened with the other men. Besides, she’d never forgive herself if something bad happened to the kind nurse.

‘Why did I just say that?’ she thought to herself, ‘Maybe the chivalry from the men rubbed off on me? Is that how chivalry works?’

She shook her head to clear it, “I’ll be fine, I’m just worried about you being safe.” She smiled to assure Rhiannon and herself.

“Just, you know, don’t tell your captain that I’m a patriot.” she said, happy that she hadn’t worn her uniform, “that might end badly for me."

[Rhiannon ☽]

When Alied blushed, she did she. It wasn't unorthodox for Rhiannon to blush, she was bashful soul, anyway.

"I think he is...I don't know, I'm probably reading too far into it," she said, waving it off. Who was she kidding, no one wanted a witch.

"Oh I'd never tell him, I don't want any violent actions," she said reassuringly. She smiled, "And I will be alright, but I thank you so much. I wouldn't of been able to do much if things had gone any farther."

[deaartio]

“Oh, no, I’m sure he does, you know, like you.” Adelaide smiled gently. “He’s lucky to have someone like you around.”

Adelaide looked down and saw that the dirt road was getting more an more unkept, and a forest was beginning to form around them. “Are you sure this is the right way?” she asked, sidling a bit closer to Rhiannon.

“Just tell everyone that I’m your... friend. They’ll believe that, right?” her light blue eyes darted around, “Oh, you’d better tell your captain, I can’t lie to save my life.” It was true, lying was not one of the skills she had managed to pick of from her new army peers.

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon bit the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling like a teenager. She really liked her own captain. "Well... We'll see soon enough," she said, closing the topic. Annie was a little embarrassed now.

She nodded, "I understand that, I cannot lie either," Rhiannon told him, giving a little laugh. "But you are a friend so I wouldn't be lying now, would I?"

[deaartio]

“You can’t lie either?” Adelaide asked, “Oh lord, what are we going to say?” she began to panic slightly, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

She was pulled out of her slight panic, however, by the soothing voice of Rhiannon saying the word ‘friend.’

“R-really? I’m your friend?” she asked in disbelief. “Wow... friend. There are so few people who have really called me a friend, me growing up in the country and all.” She smiled sweetly at Rhiannon, “Your my friend too!” Rhiannon gave a younger girl a bit of a strange look.

“The only people who where my friends as a kids was my mom, my dad, and and my milk cow.” she explained to the slightly confused nurse.

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon laughed softly,

"You saved me from a serious situation, Aleid, of course you're my friend!"

She liked Aleid, even if something seemed a little off about him. He was rather...girlish in his expression of emotions. Rhiannon wasn't one to judge, though so she left it be.

"You grew up with animals? I have a cat, but that's about it." she said, smiling.

[deaartio]

“Yes, my father owns a farm in Rye. It’s about five hours out of New York City, on horse-back, of course.” Adelaide explained, “My father and mother moved to the New World From Amsterdam when I was still a babe, they bought a patch of land and, well, here we are today.” she smiled.

“My father takes care of the wheat fields and my mother and I take care of the animals. My mother would look over the chickens and I would milk the cows.” She looked down sadly, now slightly nostalgic for those times. “My milk cow’s name is Gemma, it’s a Dutch name meaning Gem.”

She sighed, “I hope that they’re all alright... I haven’t been able to contact them since I joined the army last year. I ran away with the patriots when Manhattan was taken. I was there to buy candles, but I guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Adelaide explained sadly.

“I would write them if I could, but... I never really learned how to write.” she admitted.

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon listened to Aleid with great interest. She had always been amazed at how people could work with so many animals all at once.

"See now, I could never work with so many animals. I love them, but people are my forte," she said, smiling.

"I'm sure they're wonderful, Aleid, I wouldn't worry yourself!"

She had learned to write, maybe she could help him learn. Rhiannon asked,

"I can help you learn a bit if you like?"

[deaartio]

Adelaide’s eyes lit up, “Really, you’d help me? I’d love that, Rhiannon!”

Adelaide began to imagine all of the things she could write to her parents. “Where did you learn to write? My father barely even knows how.”

Rhiannon came a stop abruptly and turned into the forest.

Adelaide scampered after her, “U-uh, are you sure this is the way to the encampment?” she looked behind them at the road and then at Rhiannon, not letting herself think about what would happened if the older woman got them lost in the darkening, thickly wooded evergreen forest

[Rhiannon ☽]

"Mmhmm! I'd love to be of help! I owe you that, don't I," she said, arching her brow. She looked around and didn't recognize the current path, but she was able to correct their way and go the right direction now.

"My parents taught me to. It's a truly beautiful skill to have, it is one way to just let your mind wander where ever you want to be," she told her, sounding probably like some crazy old bat.

"I'm sure, don't worry Aleid," she assured him. "We'd be fine, anyway, I've lived out in the forest for years."

[deaartio]

“Please, don’t think that you owe me anything.” Adelaide said sincerely. “I was just doing what any good person should.” she followed next to Rhiannon as they readjusted their course.

“I always wished that I knew how to write, but my father never had time to teach me. I only know a few basic words, and the alphabet, of course.”

“You love in the forest? Wow, what’s that like?” she asked, “My family’s house is in a field, but it's surrounded by forest.” she got a wistful look on her face as she was pulled into another memory, “You should see it in the fall, especially along the Hudson. All the trees change color, it’s like a sunset of the trees.” she paused, “Have you been to New York? It’s lovely there, but gets dreadful hot in the summer and dreadful cold in the winter.”

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon smiled,

"It's quite nice, really. Until I was hired to work for the 7th, I lived in a little cottage not far from here. It's a beautiful place to be, I just love it. Very peaceful."

She was relieved to see the lights of her camp not too far from where they were standing. Annie smiled at Aleid as he spoke of his home back in New York.

"I've never been up that far north," she told him. "But I've seen paintings of the trees during the fall and it's breathtaking."

[deaartio]

Adelaide blinked at the soft light showing through the forest, “That’s the camp, right?” she asked, relived that they were finally there, but sad that she and Rhiannon would have to part ways soon. Adelaide also bit her lip at the thought of finding her way back to Salem in the dark.

“I had never been much farther than New York City either, until, you know, but Massachusetts is lovely. It’s a lot like New York, but a bit different.” They slowed down as the camp drew nearer. Adelaide held her breath seeing horses, they were a cavalry regiment, she guessed. There went her hopes of out running them if things got ugly.

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon stopped, it was far enough away from camp to not be seen but still easy enough to go back.

"New York sounds lovely," Rhiannon said. "Are you going to be alright getting back to town? It's dark, I'm sure I could make up some excuse to have you stay the night..."

She saw the younger man tense and she smiled, "It's alright, nothing is going to happen."

[deaartio]

Adelaide gritted her teeth. She looked up to the sky, seeing a few stars start to show.

She took a deep breath, “I-if it’s not to much trouble, I think it would be a good idea to stay here for the night.” she bit her lip, “I’ll just have to wake up a few hours from sunup as to have enough time to get back to my encampment.”

‘Oh, lord,’ she thought, ‘is this really a good idea?’ she exhaled heavily, trusting Rhiannon to keep her safe as she walked headfirst into the belly of the beast.

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon led her into camp, making sure it was obvious that then young man was her companion and not an enemy.

"Don't look so nervous, you're fine," she assured him, smiling.

She led him into her room and showed him to a place he could rest. She offered him some dinner,

"Would you like something to eat?"

[deaartio]

Adelaide blinked at the food as she sat down heavily on the small bed, suddenly feeling very hungry. After all, she hadn’t eaten since the morning.

“Thank you.” she said gratefully. The food wasn’t that good, but it was better than what she got in the Continental Army. Some nights all they had was flour and water.

She finished quickly, cleaning the plate completely. “Thank you so much, Rhiannon.” She said while smiling.

She figured that she’d have to sleep in all her cloths, after all, if she took her shirt off Rhiannon would see her chest bindings. Adelaide just hopped that Rhiannon wouldn’t find it strange.

[Rhiannon ☽]

"It's not the best but it keeps us fed and full," Rhiannon said, laughing a little. She didn't like the dull flavored food either.

She hadn't stopped to consider the fact that she was sharing her room with another man. Rhiannon didn't want to be rude and make him leave, and she knew he wouldn't harm her so she left it be.

"Just get comfortable wherever you like," she said.

[deaartio]

“Call it what you will,” Adelaide said, referring to the food, “but it’s the best that I’ve had in weeks.”

That was when it hit her that she was posing as a man, and was about to share a woman’s bedroom. With a woman. Adelaide never really understood what it was with women and men sharing bedrooms, but it wasn’t something to be talked about.

“I’ll have to wake up a few hours before dawn,” Adelaide said. She snuck a look at Rhiannon. The woman looked calm, not threatened at all.

“Um... Rhiannon, there’s something I should tell you...”

[Rhiannon ☽]

She smiled and nodded. He should be alright getting out of camp, people were still sleeping around here during that time of day.

"That should be fine!"

Rhiannon looked up from braiding her long hair back. She never had liked sleeping with it down, it was too thick and hot for that.

"What is it, Aleid?" She asked when he said he needed her attention.

Annie hoped everything was alright, she didn't want him to feel sick or such things.