The Killer Angels (Close to myself and Starwhisperer)

[AdaliaRP1990]

Reynolds couldn’t help, but find himself more relaxed and at ease. The cut in his side was bothering him less and didn’t bear the same burning sensation it had in the morning, due to warmth of the shower washing away the clotted blood. The thoughts of war had slipped his mind as he knew exactly what they needed to do if they were going to win. What was left of him was Abigail. She was right there within arms reach. Her scent, which he figured was a mixture of Lilacs, vanilla and another wild flower, filled his nose reminding him that for now he was home. He was with her, the only place he ever really needed to be.

For a moment he was enraptured in her tender kisses, but as the time progressed and her melodic voice filled his ears he couldn’t fight the smile that crossed his lips. “I hope that when we’re married you don’t go creeping around like a spy, you might scare away the neighbors.” He joked hoping that she wouldn’t smack him for it. His cold blue eyes were still locked on hers, but with the lack of light and the reflection of the cool green color of her dress, they looked deeper and darker in color. The once ice blue eyes were a sea green color, darkening due the lack of sleep.

Abigail kissed him and Reynolds for a moment wished she would have let it linger. He noted the momentary pause between the first kiss and the next and in a minute he was curious as to why she had done it. The minute the words rolled off her tongue Reynolds had to laugh. He did so quietly trying not to make too much of a fuss. “I taste like soup? Well you did remark on how the soup was good… Come here and kiss me again.” He said for the first time in a rather commanding manner; the way Abigail had the first day they met at the general store. Abigail kissed him again, thought more on her own terms than Reynolds command he assumed. He placed his hand on the side of her face, the position a bit awkward, but still amusing nonetheless. He kissed her back gently more for the sake of feeling her soft lips against his as he had missed it the entire day.

 

[StarWhisperer]

“If I creep around like a spy, and I’m good enough at it, the neighbors won’t ever notice.” She stared down into his eyes, smiling a bit and kissing just below his eye, where there was a bit of a dark circle. “You look tired,” Abigail noted lightly. The hand in his hair started tracing up and down the edge of his ear gently with her fingertips, absent, as though she didn’t even notice she was doing it.

“Well, it was good soup,” Abigail admitted. She leaned down and kissed him again, as per request. Kissing upside down was interesting, and sort of fun. She wished they could have a proper kissing session, but he seemed comfortable resting his head on her lap and she was loathe to make him move, especially because he just looked so tired. With his head so close to her womanhood a frission ran down her spine, remembering what he’d done before they had made love last night. Abigail shook her head a bit.

“Do you mind terribly if I lay down with you?” she asked softly, kissing away from his lips and across his cheekbone, around his eye, above his eyebrow and then below the other eye. “My legs are falling asleep and they’re being too quiet to hear right now. Besides, I’d much rather lay with you.”

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

He smiled sitting up and crawling over beside her. He laid himself down, tugging on Abby’s arm to join him. Reynolds was in fact tired. The little sleep he had gotten didn’t make up for the day’s march the day before he had arrived to town. In fact he had been running on extreme minimums of sleep the entire week, but as a soldier he didn’t mind it. He often had to fight two seconds after days and days of marching. Reynolds was looking up at the ceiling, his expression blank and emotionless, but going through his mind were pictures. Reynolds did as Abby had done earlier, he was envisioning his future with her. He saw himself coming home from war, waiting anxiously at the end of the aisle, carrying her to the marriage bed, buying a home, winning the civil war and having dozens of children with his beautiful Abby. She was right. It was far easier to think of the happy things, then the negatives, but unlike Abby, Reynolds still needed to dwell in the realm of reality. He knew that one little misstep would cost them their fairytale.

“Maybe I’ll hire you to spy on the South. God knows Longstreet already has one.” Reynolds kept his eye on the ceiling as he thought of the spies he had encountered over the years. Longstreet had always gotten the best, the ones that crossed over the Union like they were one of the soldiers. Reynolds yawned a bit and shut his eyes for a moment, thinking of how good a life with Abby would be. They could be alone like this for days and days at a time without caring who found them or what noises they made. He spoke without opening his eyes. “It was a couple of days travel to get down here from Washington. Didn’t sleep much because I was lookout in case we ran into Confederate soldiers. I tried to sleep last night, but I had too much on my mind.” Reynolds had placed one of his hands on his stomach resting it there as he held Abby’s hand in the other.

“You were right about thinking of the happier things.” He said almost in a whisper. His body ached for sleep, but his mind refused to allow it. He would have time to sleep when he was dead. Those were always the words of choice when Reynolds was tired. He opened his eyes noting the blur of the room as he did so. “It’s pleasant just thinking about the life we could have.” Reynolds stared at the ceiling complacently somewhat hoping that the moment they got up, they would be in that dream. He would have her all to himself, but he knew that was damn near impossible.

 

[StarWhisperer]

Abigail lay down beside him, happy to be holding his hand. She scooted close, resting her head on his chest and shutting her eyes. “Mmm. I could never do that, though. War is your business, not mine.” She turned her head and kissed the underside of his chin. “Maybe instead of lemonade, you should just go take a nap… I plan on keeping you up again tonight.” Abigail smiled, though she meant that in a perfectly innocent way. She sighed a bit, nestling into his side contently.

“It is nice, isn’t it? Thinking about getting married and having children…” Abigail shook her head, making a happy noise in her throat, almost like a kitten purring. She lifted herself up enough to kiss John soundly on the mouth, then pulled away just enough to speak. Her breath fanned sweet across his lips. “I love you, John Fulton Reynolds. I will until I die.” She looked down at him, emerald eyes seeming impossibly deep in the dim lighting.

From downstairs, muttering voices could be heard, a few words catchable here and there.

“Don’t… stupid…love…hypocritical…” Came Temperance Blake’s voice. “Abigail…choices… Yank… don’t… Temperance…," was the response from Abby's father.

Abby rolled over, putting her ear closer to the metal grate on the floor. She put her finger to her lips, glancing at John.

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

Reynolds was lost in the euphoria of being with Abby. The love he felt for her was simply overwhelming and he hoped that over the years he could adequately express it. His heart thudded to a relatively slow pace. It was calm, relaxed and urging him to rest, but his mind was raging a battle against it. As Abby laid her head on Reynolds’s chest, he felt a soft skip in the beat of his heart. It was as if his heart acknowledged that it’s object of adoration was directly above it, laying her divine head on his chest. He cherished the moment knowing that when he lay in camp, the cold calm night before battle, he would be missing her very presence. “I’ll keep it my business…” He said softly. “I like you’re innocence, it need not be haunted by war.” His voice trailed off as he put an arm around her. “I don’t want to lose a moment with you Abby, I’ll sacrifice sleep. I’ll have enough time to sleep when…” Reynolds cut himself off, not wanting to share the morbid saying.

Reynolds shook his head. “I don‘t know how you can love me Abigail.” He said drinking in every bit of her. Reynolds locked eyes with Abby, wondering if the small freckles in their eyes aligned. It didn’t matter if they didn’t, but he was sure that God had made them especially for one another. He brought her back near to him, kissing her full on the mouth. He pulled away, only a centimeter, leaving their lips slightly touching. As he spoke he could his lips brush lightly against hers sending a shrill electric tingling down his spine. “I’m not attractive, I’m a brutish soldier and I’m fighting your people. I can list a thousand other things, but somehow I know you’ll still love me. I won’t understand it, but I’ll cherish every moment of it, because I’ll love you till the moment I’m plucked from this Earth…”

Reynolds silenced himself as a murmur of voice filled the room. Abby removed herself from him listening the voices below. As he was told, Reynolds kept his mouth shut hoping that they would hear what was plaguing Mr. Blake.

 

[StarWhisperer]

“I’d rather you did keep it your business,” Abigail agreed. “Sleep is important, though.” She looked at him, a bit confused by the abrupt halt in his speech. “You’ll sleep when….?” She leaned forward and kissed him again, her sweet lips capturing his. She nearly lost herself, abandoning all reason and pretense of controlling herself and actually listening to her parents, but she knew that this was important and they’d have all the time in the world for kissing later on when they were married.

Abby shook her head at him, looking mildly exasperated. “What are you talking about, John. I-“ he cut her off with his kiss and she mumbled a half-hearted protest, though she didn’t seem to have much of a problem with kissing him back. She shivered in time with him, her body contouring against his. “You ARE attractive, firstly. You have beautiful eyes and a great smile.” She put her fingertips between their mouths, running the pads of her index and middle fingers along his lower lip. “Secondly, you are not brutish. You fight because you have to, not because you want to hurt people. You would never hurt me. I know you wouldn’t. You’re gentle here.” She laid a hand over his heart. “And, really, I will love you always, and you will not question it because I might just have to smack you for that.”

“Idiocy,” said Mr. Blake. “It’s just not right, Temperance. He’s a member of the opposing force. His goal is to ruin our livelihood!” Mr. Blake sounded impassioned. Abigail’s mother was not quite as upset and so she was a bit more difficult to hear.

“Calm yourself now, Joseph,” she said. “We don’t even… in store… the next coming…” Her husband went to protest, but she stopped him. “Really. Aren’t you the one… always… put the… first? Because you… selfish and… hypocritical.”

“But, Temperance, you didn’t even want her to be with him when I told you about it this morning.”

“Things change, Joseph.” Mrs. Blake sounded resolute. “I don’t know that he… but if Abigail Grace… And what if… We can’t expect…with him…For all we know, she could…and then…baby.”

There was a long silence. Abigail looked over to John, eyes wide. “…You don’t really think she would do that, do you?” Temperance didn’t answer. Mr. Blake sighed heavily enough to be heard through the vent. “Alright, you win. I’ll talk to him tonight.”

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

Reynolds was rather nervous as he did catch the last bit of the conversation. He wasn’t even remotely close to understanding the situation. He was so sure that Mr. Blake would do whatever it took to keep him and Abigail apart, that he wasn’t sure what that talk could be about. Reynolds sat up bending one knee and stretching the other leg out, his elbow resting on that knee as he took a thinking position bringing his hand in front of his face. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead…” He said blankly his mind clearly somewhere else. Reynolds wasn’t sure if he could handle that talk alone with Mr. Blake, his tongue ran like it was retreating from some massive army and he wasn’t sure that Mr. Blake understood the rapid passion that Reynolds always felt. He was a soldier with a heart too big for his uniform.

“What am I going to say Abigail?” Reynolds said as he released his breath, his voice was airy, exasperated. There was no difference between Reynolds and Mr. Blake. The two of them were headstrong men, with questionable resolution, but headstrong nevertheless. Mr. Blake had his livelihood in mind and wouldn’t risk it for the world. Whereas Reynolds was a soldier, his troops were everything and he wouldn’t risk it regardless of what he felt. The two of them were fighting over one thing and that was Abby. Mr. Blake couldn’t lose his daughter to a Yankee who was going to rip his plantation right out of his hands and well Reynolds wasn’t going to give Abby up just because he was a Yankee… Reynolds clenched a fist. It was a convoluted mess all of it. They were playing tug o’war on something that was too delicate and he didn’t like it, but what other choice did he have. Reynolds refused to back down, he wasn’t leaving this plantation to war without knowing he had Abby stuck in his future.

Reynolds could have yelled at the top of his lungs at the moment. He was so damn frustrated. He drew in a breath realizing he had been balling a fist so tight that his nails had broken through the skin, drawing a bit of blood and sending a thin line of trickling crimson down his wrist. He pulled it aside hoping Abby hadn’t noticed. Perhaps he did need a bit of sleep, but he could worry about that in the early morning hours. He wouldn’t have to wake until breakfast time seeing as they wouldn’t have a meeting. He stared at the wall ahead still contemplating strategy. For all he knew Master Blake could pull a gun on him in the middle of the conversation. Reynolds would have to send Buford that telegram before he died tonight….

 

[StarWhisperer]

Abby lifted her eyebrows. “You’ll sleep when…” She just shook her head. She sat up beside him, watching him. Her parents went on talking downstairs. She knew they would be in the study for hours, so it was safe to stay here in the quiet and dark and private for a bit. She reached over, removing Reynolds’ hand from his face gently. She looked at the shallow cuts on his hand, shaking her head as she pulled a handkerchief out from the neckline of her dress (where else would she keep it?). She dabbed at the bit of blood, then kissed the palm of his hand.

“You’re going to repeat that you love me and that you want to be with me and that you can support me and be good for me and being with me is what will make you happy and vice versa,” Abigail said calmly. “It sounds to me like my mother has basically convinced him. He’s probably going to try and scare you a bit and then give you my hand, or something.” Abby paused. “Should I give you the ring back so you can propose again?”

She leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Stop worrying,” she commanded. “We’ve got limited time. My parents will be in the study for another few hours, probably until dinner…” She turned his face towards her with two fingers. “That’s at least an hour of kissing.”

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

OOC Feel Better :]

“When I’m tired…” He corrected himself noticing how he allowed himself to be ruled by Abby. It wasn’t a matter of who was in charge, but rather the comfort he felt when he let go of command. Since the age of seventeen, Reynolds had gotten used to commanding others. Whether it was a simple comrade in the midst of war or an entire army on the brink of it, Reynolds had been through it all. After such a long time of being in charge it was nice to have someone who took charge with less aggression than he had. Abigail was a very prominent figure and as a woman didn’t have much say in a man’s world, but in Reynolds eyes her word was scripture. Although he knew he wouldn’t follow every command, most of her requests were reasonable. They were small and mutually beneficial to the both of them. Of course, that’s what Reynolds would tell himself. He was very sure that a part of him simply couldn’t resist Abby’s requests or in general Abby herself. He knew that the young Southern Belle had him wrapped around her tiny fingers.

Resisting her was like fighting himself. It was futile, stupid. After all if they were going to be married, they would become one person, at least that was the concept. Reynolds didn’t even fuss when she reached for his hand. He knew that she was doing it simply out of care. He watched as she dabbed away at the blood, slightly amused that she had pulled the handkerchief from the scooping neckline of her dress, but more so aware that she was silently chastising him for being too hard on himself. Reynolds breathed deeply as she kissed his hand. His eyes traced the smooth contours of her face until he reached her eyes. It was hard to remain so sullen with her around. Perhaps this was why he needed her. Her calm, cheerful and bright attitude would keep him constant and away from the sad thoughts of his mind. Reynolds grasped the same hand she had been holding his own with and brought t to his lips. He kissed each finger one by one eased by the silence in the room.

Reynolds smiled, the bright cheerful smile that complemented the playful look in his eyes. It was the same smile he had given Abby the day before. It was foolish to waste time sullen, frustrated and in contemplation. Reynolds only had a day with Abigail left. A day and a morning. Then after that day and that morning passed, he would have to leave her. He would have to mount his horse and let her watch as he faded into the distance. What Reynolds was obligated to do was to make her happy. He would make her the happiest she could be, because this was all the time they could have. He didn’t want to die and be remembered as some sullen worrisome man. Reynolds kissed the knuckles on Abby’s hand. He wasn’t going to leave her with that thought.

With that new resolution in mind, Reynolds began kissing up from Abby’s hand, along her arm and onto her neckline. As he reached her jaw he paused momentarily whispering against her skin. “If you give me back the ring, will I have to repeat the speech I gave you last night?” Reynolds pressed his lips against her jaw, once, twice and lingering over her skin for a moment letting his breath span over her skin. “You are awfully hard to resist Abigail… not that I would know seeing as I can’t resist you anyway.” Reynolds silenced himself turning her face towards his with his hand. He pressed his lips full against hers as he slid his hand toward the back of her neck. He caressed the back of her neck as he kissed her, parting his lips to run the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip. She was right. There was no time to waste. Reynolds wanted to keep her happy, because he knew that Thursday afternoon, when he mounted his warhorse and left with the Maine twenty-second regiment they would be separated for an unknown amount of time. He knew that the minute he faded into the horizon, her worries would begin and he didn't want to prolong that by being sullen now. No, he would make her happy, just as he promised.

 

[StarWhisperer]

“You’re tired now,” Abigail pointed out with a little smile. She shook her head, looking into his eyes. She watched for a moment as he kissed each of her fingers, then closed her eyes, relaxing. It felt nice and she would enjoy it while she still could. While she still had him all to herself.

Abby might have acted like everything was fine and dandy and she wasn’t worried about anything, but most of that was just for John’s sake. She didn’t want to make him any more worried or unhappy than he already was. Seeing him frown, that distant, pained look in his icy blue eyes made her heart palpitate so hard it hurt. So she tried to keep her unpleasant thoughts to herself. She had slipped once or twice, saying she didn’t want him to leave, mostly, but that was the least of her problems. Mostly, Abigail was just worried that once he leave, he wouldn’t come back.

Maybe he would meet someone else. Maybe he would decide that he didn’t want her anymore. Maybe his family would talk him out of returning. And then, there were the war-related things that could happen. He could hit his head or get a head injury that made him forget her. He could lose all manner of body parts, he could get shot, he could get more cuts. The worse thing, though, would be if he was dead. She could handle if he left her because he didn’t want her and he loved someone else, but if he was dead, she wouldn’t be able to know if he was happy or not. She just wanted him to be happy. If he died, she would never know, until she died, too.

Gooseflesh broke out across Abigail’s fair arms, the sensitive skin showing signs of the chills and electricity running up and down her spine at every contact of John’s lips to skin. She let out a small, shaky sigh as he kissed her jaw, trying very hard to keep her composure. “Why would you want to resist,” she asked rhetorically, just before he kissed her. Her hands rested on the outsides of his upper arms, running up and down them, occasionally going up to his shoulders. She parted her lips, as well, her tongue coming out to flick against his. This was bolder than she’d been, really. He was the one constantly leading the way in this area but it was clear that Abigail was growing more comfortable by the moment.

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

If there was ever anything in the world John Reynolds even bothered to remember, it bordered the lines of family and war. Reynolds had always loved his family, there wasn’t a day that he was gone that he didn’t regret leaving. Every memory he had stored repetitively up until meeting Abigail was of his family. He remembered his mother Lydia. The meek and beautiful woman who had often chastised him for coming home a mess as a child. She was the woman who reared him to be so charming, so kind and considerate of women. Then there was his father John, who like Reynolds was a very headstrong man. He reared John and his brothers to take on life the way they saw fit and each when their separate ways. Reynolds became a Soldier, William an explorer… The list went on seeing as he was one of the surviving nine children, though there were four other siblings who never saw anything past childhood. He loved all of them, his living siblings and passed on. What he hadn’t told Abigail yet or her parents for that matter, was that both his parents would never show to their wedding. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to, it was simply because he doubted they would unearth themselves from Lancaster cemetery. Both his parents had died some years ago, his mother leaving first and then his father unable to bear the sadness. Reynolds didn’t like to mention it as the reason he didn’t return home often. It was yet another sad memory his mind wanted to forget.

There was something about Reynolds that gave off the impression that he was often pensive. Perhaps it was the cold distant stares, the blank look in his eyes even when he was happy or even just the lack of sleep. None of these things were really conclusive to what his problem was, but Reynolds was well aware of his troubles. The General for the last many years of his life had lost the two people he could truly confide with. Both parents leaving him, as the life expectancy those days was very young, had given him no outlet for the haunting memories of war and even just daily fumbles. Poor Reynolds was left to vent these emotions on war strategies and the killing of men, which in turn provided much more trouble than it could release. He had remembered Chamberlains lecture story about Men being Killer Angels. These gentlemen, so fashioned after God and his aids, were graceful people. They had power, prestige and morale stuffed into the flesh that so characterized their mortality. These men had compassion, mercy and love. Chamberlain had so referenced them to angels(speaking about literature he had read), whereas his father had replied. “Those are some murderous angels.” To which Chamberlain smiled and replied thoughtfully, “Men, the Killer Angels…” Chamberlain and his father were right in many ways. Men at war had so kindly decided they would play God, deciding who lived and who didn’t. War was murder, there was no justification to that and Reynolds knew he was drenched in the blood of his enemies who never really were enemies at all, simply just strangers.

This thought process had ultimately brought him to the conclusion that he didn’t deserve Abigail, but as the day had passed he realized more and more that it wasn’t the fact that he deserved her, but rather the fact that he needed her. When Reynolds would depart that Thursday afternoon, he wouldn’t dare forget the beauty of his young fiancé. If she slipped from his memory, he was sure that he would too from hers. There was nothing in this world or the next that would separate him from her. At least that’s what Reynolds liked to think. She had in so little time become everything he had ever needed, ever wanted and ever would want. She had become his world. Reynolds kept his eyes on hers as he pulled away. His hand was still caressing the side of her face as he held her close with the other at the small of her back. “I’ll come back to you.” He murmured against her soft lips as if to remind her that everything would be alright.

Reynolds couldn’t fight the smile that crossed his lips when Abigail had endeavored to be so bold. Now that they had a bit more practice, she was starting to ease into the unfamiliar world that was kissing. Reynolds was fairly happy with her innocence, but was enjoying her bold explorations as well. He would never get tired of kissing Abigail. He pressed his lips against hers lingering as his heart thudded in his chest. He would never really get the texture or the feel of her lips against his right. That alone kept him returning every time for another as it seemed to change experience with each and every kiss. What Reynolds really loved was the fact that with each kiss his heart seemed to send out flurries of feelings throughout his body, it was as if through that kiss they communicated the love that they were feeling. Reynolds figured what words couldn’t explain was better done through action.

 

[StarWhisperer]

((im sorry i was disappeared i dont ahave your number an i was in the ER for HOURS i would psot now but im on morphin i'll be around tomorrow though all day so i'll post then and explain what happened and stuff going to sleep now!))

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

(ooc: don't even worry about it. I'll leave you a couple of messages on YIM so you have something to smile about when you come around. )

 

[StarWhisperer]

Abby’s soft lips curled into a smile, even as they were pressed against John’s. “I hope that’s a promise,” she mumbled back. She ran her fingers through his hair, meeting his eyes. She loved the way it felt to be held by him, to be enveloped by the pair of strong arms belonging to the man she somehow, inexplicably, loved. She would give him everything, everything that she had, because she felt he deserved it. He already had captivated the majority of her heart, the part that didn’t belong to her family.

She kissed him again and again, just savoring the feelings, the emotions the simple contact could create in her. It was amazing, what a kiss could do. A kiss is a simple thing; the contact of lips against lips. Despite its technical simplicity, a kiss is complex, as well. Physically you have to remember to breathe and think about where your hands are, that sort of thing. Make sure you’re comfortable. Emotionally it could send you spiraling. It left Abby’s head spinning every time Reynolds kissed her.

After not too long, she forced herself to pull away. “We should go downstairs and get some lemonade,” Abigail whispered. “I don’t want to take the chance and get caught.”

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

There was something about the way Abby’s small delicate figure felt in his arms that Reynolds couldn’t quite put a finger on. Perhaps it had been so long since he held someone for such a long period of time, someone of affection. Then there was the fact that she, unlike Reynolds, was physically breakable. If he had squeezed to hard, pushed to quickly or just a matter of any normal motions for him, he could probably send her reeling. She was a small almost, but not all, defenseless person. He was sure for a minute she could put up a fight, but if it really came down to it Reynolds could easily hurt her. It was that feeling of protection he felt over her that extremely comforting. It was as if he himself stood against the harsh cruelties of the world and her sweet naivety.

Reynolds had all the world to give to Abby. He would give her protection, love, care, compassion and support. All the more he would take her places if she wanted to go. He indulged in her kisses, each sweet contact another photograph his memory would take and document the emotions felt. He had dozens of these pictures in his head, each containing its own little caption. Little by little all his cares slipped away and his only concern became the young woman wrapped in his arms. That’s how it should have been. All his cares wrapped up into a single package of happiness. He hoped that soon enough that package would double and his entire world revolved around two things, Abigail and their child. Except Reynolds was deeply hoping it would be a boy.

As she pulled away Reynolds expressed a sigh of discontentment, but he had to nod in agreement. She was right and he was slowly letting reason get away from him again. Poor Reynolds, so wrapped up in Abigail’s affection he couldn’t even think straight. “Let us go…” He muttered slowly pulling away from her, keeping his hands on her waist. “I have been complaining about tasting southern lemonade, wouldn’t want to miss out on it now…” He chuckled giving her a small peck on the forehead.

 

[StarWhisperer]

Abigail smiled at him, shaking her head. “Understand that I would much rather stay here with you, but I just feel it a bit wiser to relocate so as to avoid suspicion.” She kissed him once more, then sat up and crawled over to the little tunnel leading into the secret attic room. She crawled through, popping the door out and standing up in the closet. She waited for Reynolds to follow her, then re-covered the secret passageway.

“Southern lemonade awaits,” she said cheerily. She opened the closet door and traipsed out, looking very pleased with herself. “One moment.” Abigail disappeared into her room and came out a minute later looking a bit more presentable; her hair had been a bit mussed up. She also felt like you would be able to physically see the fact that she’d been kissing just by looking at her mouth and she’d wanted to check and make sure that wasn’t the case. “Alright. Let’s go.”

Abby led the way downstairs and through the maze of rooms in the huge mansion. They got to a swinging white door and Abigail pushed through, still holding John’s hand and not really caring. Her parents would see and the household workers wouldn’t say a word about it. “Hello,” Abigail greeted, smiling brightly. “Can we please have a pitcher of lemonade and two glasses with ice out on the verandah? Thank you.” She led John through the huge kitchen by the hand and out a few doors to a large porch-like structure on the side of the house, where there was a large table with an umbrella. She sat down and pulled him down beside her. “Later I’ll show you the garden.”

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

Reynolds dusted off his uniform in case there was a bit of dirt or dust that decided to attach itself to him. He straightened it out careful that nothing had been knocked out of place. The moment he was content he slid his fingers through his hair to assure that the strands were not mussed up, but rather tousled as they usually were. “You don’t have to reassure me Abby.” Reynolds said sweetly keeping his eyes on her. “I know the risks quite well and I don’t mind moving to a thousand different locations so long as I’m with you.” Reynolds was still in a bit of wonder as she close the entry to the secret hideaway. It was marvelous that his young fiancé was so crafty and he was very glad that God had bestowed that mind on a woman and not a soldier of the confederate army. The North overpowered the Southern states by a great amount and he knew that their win was inevitable. The South may have had their chances, but Lee was suffering a great deal of heart problems and well he was hitting the prime of his age. Whereas the North had a good deal of great commanders in reputable health.

Reynolds smiled following his, hopefully, bride to be back down into the labyrinth she called a home. His mind lingered on the possibilities they had. He wondered pleasantly to himself what their children would look like, how many they would have and where each of them would end up. Would his sons take after him and pick up command for themselves? Would his daughters be as lovely as Abigail or would they be heart breakingly deceitful like Miss Kate? He pondered on the thought for a while longer enjoying the idea of having children with her. He dwelled on the many nights he would have her in his arms, never wanting the next day to come because it may have been the last day they had together. He sighed, it would be a beautiful life. He desperately needed her.

Reynolds was slightly amused that Abby was leading him around like a horse to a tether. He wondered curiously if this is how it felt to be a war horse, not that Abby would be riding him anytime soon. (No pun intended lol) Of course he did like the idea of carrying her around on his back as he had seen some of the younger boys do with their girls. Oh how he would have loved to have led the simple life, carrying on an inheritance rather than fighting as a General. Maybe things would have been better off that way, but Reynolds didn’t think anything of it. He didn’t regret the war, because the war had brought him straight to Abigail. “Perhaps I’ll propose to you there.” Reynolds chuckled softly. “That is if your father will allow me.” He tacked on keeping his tone pleasant. “You know you’ll have me the whole day tomorrow…” He reminded her careful not to bring up his departure at lunch the following day. “I won’t have to wear my uniform either or this damn cutlass…” He said readjusting it slightly as he sat. He was beginning to wonder how long it would be before they decided cutlasses and bayonets wouldn’t be needed in warfare.

 

[StarWhisperer]

Abigail’s smile was bright. “Aw. You’re so sweet, General.” She shook her head a bit. “I don’t know how you can just keep coming up with new compliments for me, but you manage it, somehow.”

She settled down on her chair, crossing her ankles primly. Her eyes sparkled in the mid-day sunlight. “That would be nice. There’s a lovely swinging bench we can sit on. I spend a lot of time there. The flowers are beautiful, and they smell lovely, too. The lilacs are my favorite.” Which might explain why she always smelled like them. “I’m sure my father will allow you.” She looked down, taking her ring off and holding it out to him. “For later,” Abigail explained.

“Ooh, I get to see you out of uniform?” Abby conveniently didn’t mention the time she’d seen him out of it already… “Is it a bother? I would imagine…” A servant came out with a tray, carrying a pitcher and two frosty glasses. She filled both glasses and set them down. “Thank you so much,” Abigail said sincerely. The girl smiled at her, then hurried away. Abigail took a sip of lemonade, looking at Reynolds with smiling eyes over her glass.

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

Reynolds shook his head his eyes still settled on hers. “I had a million just stored in my head for the time I met someone like you…“ He paused noting the brighter, but softer shade Abigail’s eyes had taken on due to the mid-day sun. It was yet another memory Reynolds would keep to himself, ready to pull them out the minute his life depended on it. “Then I met you and well you keep giving me more and more reasons to compliment you. I can’t run out Abigail, because my love for you won’t.” He smiled letting it crinkle his eyes a bit.

He liked the complexities of their relationship, it gave it form and far more reasons to fight for. Perhaps that’s what made it so strong and different from a normal kind of love. There was more reason to hold on and it wasn’t nearly as easy as everyone else’s. They didn’t have to fight like Abby and Reynolds. They took for granted what could easily be ripped from them, but Reynolds, no. He treasured every moment he had with the fair skinned lady. He couldn’t afford to lose any time.

Reynolds took the ring from her putting it in the pocket of his uniform. He would have to come up with something equally as sweet to what he had said the night before, minus all the kissing. He chuckled, her father would have taken Reynolds pistol and shot him with it. “When we get married, I’m going to buy us a house with a swing on a big ol’ tree.” He said thoughtfully. “We could sit there all day, just talking and when we have kids you can tell them stories there and I know they’ll love your voice as much as I do.” He held out his hand for her, wanting to feel her dainty fingers intertwined with his. It would feel different without the ring on her finger, but it would still be as equally pleasant if not more.

Reynolds took the other glass gratefully, saying his quiet thanks to the young girl who had brought it out. He took a sip of the lemonade noting the sweet taste and cool refreshment it offered for the heat. He smiled at her as he put the glass down. “You’re right, nothing like Southern Lemonade.” He chuckled using his free hand to remove the cutlass. He placed the belt, holster and sword all together on the table a length away from Abby. Despite it being completely safe within its protective casing, he wouldn’t take the chance of it being near her. “I’ll be wearing my Sunday’s best tomorrow. Normal clothing seeing as we don’t have to meet with the good General tomorrow.”

He eyed the golden hilt of the cutlass remembering the moment he had brought the hilt up several times to knock other soldiers unconscious. He tried to avoid killing them as much as possible. “It is a bother when I’m wearing it for full uniform. It was given to me as an honor of being promoted to Major General and commanding at several places besides West Point. It gets in the way more than it does any good, but I wear it with pride.” He chuckled thinking of the irony. He had worn it for honor, but used it for death.

 

[StarWhisperer]

Abigail blushed and shook her head. “There you go again,” she protested, though she mostly sounded like she really enjoyed it. “You’re going to swell my head and make me think I’m much better than I really am,” Abigail scolded. She watched him put the ring into his pocket, listening to his plan about their future.

“Are you? That would be lovely.” She smiled, taking his hand. “I like to tell stories. And that sounds wonderful.” Abigail lifted his hand and kissed his knuckled sweetly. “I can’t wait to tell our children stories. I’ll tell you stories on that swing until then.”

Abby smiled a bit, looking at the cutlass on the table. “It’s very beautiful, but also intimidating. I was a bit intimidated by you when I first met you,” she admitted, sipping her lemonade. “But I was also drawn to you. You’re like the unknown. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.”

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

Reynolds tugged her hand gently in his direction giving the tips of her knuckles a gentle kiss. He had a feeling this would turn into a small continuous exchange between the two of them. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he thought about the little habits they had already picked up as a couple… a couple… Reynolds let the word linger in his head. They were a couple, despite their lack of the marriage title, but they were a couple to say the least. He was hers and she was his and there was nothing that would get in the way of that. He let out a breath of relief, not noticing that he had been holding it, it fanned over the fair skin of her hand before he kissed it again.

“A strange sight that would be Miss Blake.” He said scrunching up his face playfully as if he were truly thinking about it. “I can’t quite imagine you with a swollen head, perhaps if I continue to compliment you it might just happen.” He kissed her hand again. “I would still love you. Even if you looked like a walrus with a swollen head…” He joked waiting for the impact of her hand against his forehead. He wasn’t sure why he always expected her to hit him, but sometime ladies and their sensitivities, you never really knew what to expect.

“Anything for you Abigail. I’d take you to India if that would make you happy…” He said letting his lips linger on her skin. He remained that way, not really kissing her, but simply allowing his lips to brush lightly against her skin. “That’ll be my motivation.” He said softly muttering it into her skin. “I’ll live so I can hear all your magnificent stories. Maybe you can sing to me as well.” He said his eyes smiling. He couldn’t help, but swell up with happiness at the moment.

“Just like you Abby.” Reynolds said looking up from her knuckles. “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and yet the most intimidating. I’d rather run towards an entire corps of men (24, 000 men) with their bayonets fixed and their muskets pointed at me, than build up the courage to talk to you…” He said with a smirk thinking about the two corps he was in charge of. The first and the eleventh. Forty-eight thousand men to keep track of. Now that was indeed a challenge. “But I did. I built up all the courage I could, because I didn’t know if you’d even have the patience to talk to me.”

Reynolds beamed as if her words had inflated his pride. “Me? Intimidating? How so?” He asked smirking with satisfaction behind her hand. The entire time he had known Abby, he had been under the impression that she was far out of his league. “I don’t see how that’s possible Miss Blake. There’s not much intimidation about me besides my uniform” He chuckled wondering if that was what she had meant. “You don’t even need Mrs. Hayford or a uniform to intimidate a man. I bet you’d send both my corps running for the hills.” He laughed. “In a good way though my dear, I don’t mean it in offense to you. I didn’t train my men to face a beautiful woman with a very powerful personality.”

 

[StarWhisperer]

She waited until he seemed to be done with her hand, then took his back and placed kisses all over it. Abby laughed into Reynolds’ palm. “I don’t know if you really would love me. You can say that because there’s no chance of it ever actually happening that I will turn into a walrus with a swollen head…” She kissed all of his fingertips individually.

“Would you really take me to India?” She smiled over at him. “Maybe I will sing to you… I don’t know how good I am at that, though.” Abigail kissed across the back of his hand. “Whatever could motivate you to live would be good for me, I think. So keep giving me ideas to make you want to live for me.”

“Like me?” Abby looked at him, confused. Her eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean me? I’m not intimidating at all! I’m just a girl. I don’t see why you would ever be intimidated by me. And you DID talk to me. So that’s completely null and void. Your argument about me being intimidating, I mean.”

Abigail lifted her eyebrows, looking even more confused than she had when he had said SHE was intimidating. “What do you mean, how so? Your uniform is a part of it yes, but there’s something more… you’ve got this presence about you. You’re this tall, attractive man in uniform with weapons and just… I don’t know, you seem so confident to me. I was very nervous. That’s why I didn’t speak until Mrs. Hayford did. I was terribly intimidated by you. I just pretended I wasn’t when she left.” Abby shook her head. “You’re wrong. I couldn’t send anyone running.”

She flushed, downing her glass of lemonade and pouring herself another. “I have a powerful personality?” she repeated weakly, not meeting his eyes.

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

Reynolds shivered slightly when she kissed his hand, laying her lips all over the nerve sensitive fingertips. She was much like him in many ways. The way she thought, was very belittling to her persona and she too seemed to think Reynolds was some god. He was sure that no matter their length of time together, they would always think that of each other. Reynolds would see her as this beautiful nymph who at anytime could run away from him and she would view him as the tall confident gentleman who could care less about her sensitivities, but in the end they would love each other. They couldn’t deny that.

“I don’t know what you tell yourself at night Abby.” He said giving her a fake stern look. “But I will love you no matter the circumstance. I fell for what’s in there, not what’s out here.” He remarked whilst using his free hand to point towards her heart and then wave it around the air to represent her outer appearance. He let the smile creep back onto his lips and the light back into his eyes. He would always love her. “The question is, would you still love me? Even if I came back with a cannon hole through my stomach or a missing limb? Even if I spontaneously turned into a walrus?” Reynolds tacked on the silly bit at the end to lighten the serious tone of his voice and message.

Reynolds stood up releasing her hand. He took several steps back and put his hand up to his eyes as if searching for something. He twisted around walking around in place as he searched for this invisible target. “Major General John Fulton Reynolds, the explorer!” He exclaimed jumping forward to scare her. He got down on a knee beside her taking both her hands in his. He looked up with loving eyes and an exhilarated smile on his face. “I would take you around the world if it means you’ll always be smiling Abigail.” He was sure that Abigail had never seen that side of him. The side that was cheerful, silly and less intimidating. Reynolds had given up on holding back. He wanted to show her the man he really was, the man she had fallen in love with.

Reynolds laced his fingers with hers as he remained on his knee, his eyes still trained on hers. “You could screech and I wouldn’t notice.” He kissed both her wrists. “The sound of your voice will always be beautiful to me. It’s one of the things that drew me into you. Reynolds took her hands and rested them on his shoulders. “You don’t need any idea Abby, just continuously be the lovely lady that you are. That’s what I live for, you.” He said rubbing her arm with his hand. He would have loved to whisk her away, dance with her, read with her, whatever the case, he was just so thrilled to be near her.

Reynolds stood up letting her hands slide off his shoulders and into his own. He held them as he looked down at her shaking his head. With a quick squeeze of her hands he reassured her. “You are intimidating Abigail. Every time I’m with you, I wonder if my words are valid and my heart races to a point of an attack.” He chuckled. “You’re beauty drew me in, but if Mrs. Hayford were not there to ask about me, well I probably would have ridden right past you. She was the only reason I managed to build up the courage to talk to you.” Reynolds couldn’t believe he was giving Mrs. Hayford credit for their meeting. He had developed a small, but humorous distaste for the woman.

What was even more amusing to Reynolds was Abigail’s argument to which he responded by stepping back and releasing her hands. He placed his right hand over his heart and his left hand in the air. “I solemnly swear on my service to the United States of America and my position as Major General of the Union Army, that I am in no way intimidating. I solemnly swear that Miss Abigail Grace Blake, were it not for my love for her, would have me shaking at the knees every time I talk.” He dropped his hands to his side and smiled at her. “Abby, quite honestly I have to be confident. It’s part of my persona, my career and I have to be intimidating to control two corps of forty-eight thousand men. But as a person, as a man talking to a woman of your stature, well that confidence tumbles because well I’m a shy man.” He laughed sitting back down. “Abby, you are beautiful. If you’ve seen yourself correctly, you’d know that, that alone is enough to make a man nervous. You have that same presence, minus the uniform and army. I’m pretty sure that gives you an advantage.”

Reynolds nodded genuinely. “You know what you want. You know how to get it and you know not to let anyone give you trouble.” He sighed. “I don’t think I would have seen much difference in you against other women if you didn’t.”

 

[StarWhisperer]

“Of course I would still love you no matter the circumstances,” Abigail said, affronted. She shook her head as he motioned to her. “You were originally attracted to my body, though. That counts.” She paused, thinking. “Well, I don’t know if you would live if you had a cannon hole clear through your stomach. But I would love you without a limb. I would love you without any limbs. I can’t say I would if you spontaneously turned into a walrus. I suppose that would depend. Would you be a walrus with your personality intact?”

Abby jumped, laughing and setting her lemonade glass down. “You would be a good explorer.” Abigail held his hands gently. “If you’re by my side, I’ll always be smiling, regardless of where we are.” She couldn’t help but show that smile now. He was being silly and it was just plain adorable. She wanted to hug him.

Beyond smiling, Abby also couldn’t stop from blushing. “You would so notice,” she said, admonishing him a bit. “But I’m glad that you think my voice is so beautiful. You’re going to have to be listening to it for years.” Her blush deepened as he kissed her wrists. “I suppose I can manage to continue being myself,” she said, laughing and shaking her head, ducking it down and looking at the wooden boards beneath their feet. She squeezed his hands as he took hers. “Well, then I suppose we’ve got to thank Mrs. Hayford, mm?”

“I know what I want, that doesn’t mean I get it,” Abigail pointed out. She sat down again, taking a sip of her nearly-forgotten lemonade. “It seems I will get to marry you, though, which is good. It would be terrible if I didn’t.” Abby nodded seriously. She looked into her glass, smiling as she pictured their wedding in her mind’s eye. Herself in a gorgeous white dress, him in his uniform… “I don’t know if I can picture you wearing anything besides your uniform,” Abigail said abruptly. She looked up at him. “You look so handsome in it..”

 

[AdaliaRP1990]

Reynolds took a sip of his lemonade, swirling it around a bit so that the melted ice-water didn‘t sit at the top. He wondered how much longer they had until dinner time. He was still very much anxiously awaiting Mr. Blake‘s call to conversation. He desperately wished he could read minds. It would have put his own mind at ease. “I suppose being a Walrus could affect my personality.” He chuckled. “I‘d be as bland as your dear friend Hattie.” He chuckled taking another sip of the sweet beverage. “Of course you do know I will try my hardest to come back from the battle with all of my limbs…” He mentioned wondering how many more rips and holes Hannah Whitlock would have to sew in his uniform. The poor girl must have worked her fingers raw with all the General‘s uniforms. Lucky for her she was one of the best and promoted from the general line of women, they were the ones who had their work cut out for them. The poor ladies had to sew over seventy-thousand uniforms, that is if any of those men survived the impact of battle.

He wondered if Abigail had ever noticed the disruptions in the texture of his uniform. He often had the jacket or pants replaced, but the particular one he wore still bore a thin line where Hannah had to repair the slash Stuart had inflicted. He remembered her clucking her tongue at him, chastising him for having so many injuries and rips in his uniform, but she lifted her needle with cheer commenting that she would rather have him coming back constantly for repairs than dead on the field. ‘You best come back General, I can’t lose my job because you got hit by a stray bullet. It would be a damn shame if you died General, you’re my best customer.’ Mrs. Whitlock had six children to feed, it was yet another good reason for Reynolds to survive the call of battle.

“I’d rather not thank Mrs. Hayford, I think her head will swell from the mere mention of it.” He joked running his hand through his hair. Reynolds didn’t have much time to watch over his appearance. His clean shaven face was unmarked by the scars of war. Despite the many injuries he had gotten over the years, his face always seemed untouched. It was a peculiar thing, but he was sure eventually someone’s bayonet would knick him in his face.

The light was filling Reynolds eyes as she mentioned how handsome he was. His dark hair looked lighter in the light, a dark brown rather than the harsh black that contrasted against his icy eyes. The light itself had given him a rather friendly appearance set apart from his normal stern look. His eyes were a lighter shade now, a brighter grey blue rather than the cold grey blue they usually were. “What will you do if I die?” he asked carefully keeping the light demeanor they had built up. “I don’t mean to be so pessimistic, but I just want to know what’ll happen after I’m gone. I want to make sure you’ll be happy, because I will be. Not happy that I’m leaving you, but happy because I had you while I was alive.” He smiled softly his eyes looking out towards where the sun would set that night. “Well my dear Abigail, you’ll be able to see exactly what I look like without my uniform. I’m not sure you’ll like it, but it’ll prove my point. Without this uniform, I’m just a normal man, not intimidating at all.” He chuckled a smile crinkling his eyes.