3 Charles Lee

Title: Country Girl

OC: Selina Vales

Ship name: Selies ? (I really don't know at this point, if you have a better one, TELL ME PLEASE!)

Notes: Charles Lee is not the type for fighting, not all that much. In fact, he's looking for love as the army traverses the country area of New Jersey. ("I'm a general! WHEEEEEEEE!") 1700th century. Before the Battle of Monmouth.

[SELINA POV]

"Oooooh, look! Look, Sel, look!" my little sister squealed, clinging to my skirts and pointing. "Patriots!"

I turned immediately, interested. If I wasn't a woman, I would have joined the Continental army without hesitation. But as a woman, I couldn't do anything. Still, anything to do with the Revolution interested me. Especially America's fighting forces.

Cheers went up as the man leading was recognized.

George Washington.

"PHILA! It's General Washington!" I cried.

My little sister, Philadelphia—named for the city—squealed again. She squeezed my hand tightly and peeked out from beside me as the general and his troops approached.

George Washington brought his troops to a halt with a signal. He slipped off his horse and approached the crowd.

"Is this the town in which the Vales family lives?" he called.

The citizens murmured and nodded, some looking to me. General Washington approached me and my sister. I managed not to look too surprised or nervous. Philadelphia came out from behind my skirts, rustling the dark blue fabric.

"You are Selina Vales?" he asked.

"I am," I said, happy my voice was strong but not too strong.

"Your father, James Vales, has offered the army a place to stay and train. Will you show us the way to your household?"

Philadelphia gasped. "The army is living on our LAND?"

"Philadelphia!" I scolded, turning red. "Mind your manners!"

General Washington smiled. "It is quite alright, Miss Vales. Your daughter's enthusiasm is understandable."

"Daughter?" I asked. "Oh, no. Philadelphia is my younger sister. I am not married and have no children."

General Washington raised an eyebrow. "I mistook you for older, then?"

I nodded.

His expression was mildly impressed. "Well. Either you are a very good actress or are simply very mature for your age. How old are you, if you do not mind my asking?"

"I'm seventeen, sir," I replied.

He smiled. "You seem wise beyond your years, Miss Vales. Now, if you wouldn't mind leading the way?"

"Not at all, sir," I said. "This way, sir." And so I led the army to my father's farm. Philadelphia stayed close by me, sneaking looks at the soldiers. I myself was trying not to look nervous or defensive or terrified or awed or anything, really. Except for calm. Yes, calm was good.

"This is our farm, General Washington," I said, stepping aside and gesturing to our large house and the surrounding land. "I will find my father."

He nodded.

"Philadelphia, run along and find our brothers," I said. "They should be in the barn, except for Danny. But never mind him, I will find him, as well."

Philadelphia nodded and hurried to the barn, casting a few looks over her shoulder. I hurried off to our large farmhouse, holding up my skirts to keep myself from tripping over myself. I pushed open the door and went up to my father's study, stopping at the door.

I lifted my hand to knock. "Father, the Continental army is here."

My father opened the door almost immediately. "Already? I was expecting a few more days...that way I could have warned your mother."

I flinched. "She doesn't know?"

Father shook his head.

"Shall I tell her?"

"Leave that to me. For now, come with me and we shall greet our guests."

[LEE POV]

I was a new general, facing scrutiny from the rest of the army. Even General Washington didn't seem all that impressed with me.

But, really, I'm not meant for fighting. It isn't my fault he made me a general. He could have chosen Hamilton, but nooooo, let's embarrass Charles Lee!

It was worse due to the fact I wasn't improving and the fact that I was redfaced from all the stares we were attracting. A few girls giggled at me and my cheeks flushed scarlet. They giggled harder and I looked away. I made myself focus on General Washinton's back.

"Is this the town in which the Vales family lives?" he called.

The citizens murmured and nodded, some looking to one girl who had a smaller girl clinging to her skirts. General Washington approached the two. I kept my expression neutral, but I was wondering curiously why the general was going to her specifically instead of just addressing the crowd as a whole.

"You are Selina Vales?" he asked.

"I am," she said.

"Your father, James Vales, has offered the army a place to stay and train. Will you show us the way to your household?"

The little girl clinging to her skirts gasped. "The army is living on our LAND?"

"Philadelphia!" the older girl, Selina Vales, scolded, turning red. "Mind your manners!"

General Washington smiled. "It is quite alright, Miss Vales. Your daughter's enthusiasm is understandable."

"Daughter?" she asked, surprised. "Oh, no. Philadelphia is my younger sister. I am not married and have no children."

General Washington raised an eyebrow. "I mistook you for older, then?"

Miss Vales nodded.

His expression was mildly impressed. "Well. Either you are a very good actress or are simply very mature for your age. How old are you, if you do not mind my asking?"

"I'm seventeen, sir," she replied.

He smiled. "You seem wise beyond your years, Miss Vales. Now, if you wouldn't mind leading the way?"

"Not at all, sir," she said graciously. "This way, sir."

With a signal, the troops started forward. Hamilton, as always, was not above casting me a smirk and a jibe. I glared strongly at him, and his eyes flicked to Miss Vales's back, multiple times as if implying. When I did not rise to his jibes, he rolled his eyes and left me alone.

But he left me wondering what had triggered this round of teasing. The way his eyes had flicked to Miss Vales...surely he wasn't suggesting anything stupid, was he?

But really, you never knew with Alexander Hamilton.

Miss Vales and her younger sister led us to her family's farm and sent her sister off to find her brothers. She then hurried to find her father. When they returned, General Washington was giving us orders not to make camp until we knew the land the family could spare to us. He didn't notice the return of Miss Vales accompanied by her father.

Hamilton cleared his throat. "Sir, the Vales..."

General Washington turned around. "Mr. James Vales," he said, offering a hand.

"General Washington," Mr. Vales said with a smile. "It is an honor, sir, to meet you."

"And a pleasure to meet you," the general replied. "Your letter entailed you had quite a bit property, but I was not aware you owned this much."

Mr. Vales couldn't hide his smile. "It was passed down in our family."

The general's eyes flicked to Miss Vales. "I take it such will continue?"

"Yes, indeed," Mr. Vales said. "I have several sons—though I would not be surprised if Selina could handle the farm by herself. She's quite resourceful. And very determined. And quite the supporter of the Revolution."

"Is that so?" General Washington asked.

Miss Vales flushed with pride. "It is, sir." She paused. "And if I had been born a man, I would have joined up myself."

The general smiled. "It's good to see such enthusiasm for our cause."

She nodded her head and her eyes scanned over the rest of us as she looked back up. When she looked at me, my heart jumped as I realized I'd been staring. Hamilton was giving me another look. So maybe that was why he had been before...

Miss Vales was quite beautiful. When her eyes met mine, my heart fluttered and my stomach rolled. It took every bit of effort my body allowed to not blush like crazy. When she finally looked away, I relaxed and closed my eyes in relief for the briefest of moments.

"General, we have some land that we are in need of, but we should have enough for your troops, if you are willing to allow some of your soldiers—perhaps higher ranking officers—stay in our house. We have plenty of open rooms. Plenty of space," Mr. Vales said.

General Washington nodded. "Yes, that should do."

"Of course, you yourself must take a room in our house," Miss Vales said kindly.

The general started to open his mouth to protest, but Miss Vales' expression suggested there was no room for argument. He closed his mouth and nodded.

"Your hospitality...how shall I ever repay you for it?"

Miss Vales smiled. "Fight valiantly against our oppressors. Your valor is enough to repay us."

I could tell he wasn't satisfied with that answer. But he nodded again. "I shall have my generals and my right-hand man take the rooming in the house if you don't mind," he said quietly. Then louder: "If you wouldn't mind showing us the land where we can set up camp?"

Mr. Vales nodded. "Selina, would you get your brothers—"

"I've already done it, Papa!" the little girl, Philadelphia, said as she came running, a group of boys behind her. Their ages ranged from about six to sixteen.

Mr. Vales smiled. "I take it you have met my other daughter, Philadelphia?"

"We have indeed—" General Washington started.

Then, suddenly, a soldier broke ranks and ran forward.

"Lieutenant—" the colonel started, stepping forward to start after him.

"Leave him be," the general said abruptly as the young lieutenant raced forward to the Vales'.

"FATHER! Selina! Philadelphia!" he cried, crying tears of relief as he ran forward.

"SAMUEL!" Selina yelled, rushing forward herself and colliding midway with the lieutenant. They wrapped their arms around each other, each sobbing with relief. Then Selina pulled back and abruptly punched him in the arm. "You didn' tell us you were a lieutenant in the last letter!"

The lieutenant grinned. "Surprise!"

"Lieutenant, what is the meaning of this?" the colonel snapped.

"This is my sister, my family," the lieutenant said.

General Washington smiled. "Lieutenant Samuel Vales, I think you ought to stay in your own family's house, don't you?"

"Sir," Hamilton said. "Er, wouldn't this be considered...favoritism?"

The general raised an eyebrow. "I have never met this lieutenant until just now. I highly doubt that this can be considered favoritism, Alexander."

Hamilton, subdued, bowed his head and snapped his mouth shut.

"This is my right-hand man," General Washinton said, "Alexander Hamilton."

Hamilton offered a smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Vales family."

"And a pleasure to meet you," Mr. Vales said and his children introduced themselves: six-year-old John, seven-year-old Fredrick, nine-year-old Jaime, eleven-year-old Alexander, twelve-year-old George, thirteen-year-old Charles, fifteen-year-old Jonathan, and sixteen-year-old Anthony. The commotion brought the oldest brother, seventeen-year-old Daniel, running.

And the family, with the exception of the mother and newborn baby girl, we were told, brought us to the many miles of free land that they were not using that we could for camp.

The order to set up camp was given and General Washington took the small group of generals, Lieutenant Vales, Hamilton, and a few other high-ranking officials back with the Vales family to their farmhouse.

"Selina!" Mr. Vales called as she returned from showing General Washington the rooms they had to offer. "If you would kindly show...General Lee, was it?"

I nodded.

"Show General Lee to his rooms," Mr. Vale finished.

"Which rooms?" Miss Vales asked.

"The ones on your hallway across from Sam's bedroom."

She bowed her head. "This way, General Lee," she said and led me through the large house to a hallway. She stopped at a door and pushed it open, bowing her head and gesturing inside the rooms.

I cast my eye around. The rooms were beautiful, clearly some sort of study, but they appeared to have not have been used in quite some time.

"They aren't much and might be a bit dusty, but they should work," Miss Vales said softly.

"Thank you, Miss Vales," I said, turning to her with a smile. I bowed and kissed her hand as a gentleman would.

She blushed furiously. "Oh! Er, please...just call me Selina."

"You can call me Charles."

[SELINA POV]

"Charles?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Well, your welcome, Charles," I said and stepped inside the room, hiding my blushing face from his view. I pushed open another door that led to the small privy. "The privy and washroom," I said.

"A study has a privy and washroom?" Charles asked.

"Well, this used to be a bedroom for my grandmother before she...before she died," I said. "Then it became Sam's study, then Danny's after Sam went to war, but then Danny went to college a year later. Really, Sam is the oldest but Danny took his position. But now the rooms aren't being used. They might become a nursery unless Mother is willing to use a different room or her bedroom like she did for most of us."

I suddenly became aware of his stare, taking in my every detail and I blushed again when I met his eyes. He flushed merlot at the same time and both of us looked away.

Oh, no, Selina! I scolded myself. Don't you dare!

"Thank you," Charles said.

I nodded and bowed myself out. "I'll let you get situated," I said and hurried out. I stopped before I got to the stairs and leaned on the wall, a smile plastered to my face, eyes closed.

Lord, he's cute, I thought.

[LEE POV]

I leaned on the door frame and watched her lean against the wall, smiling, eye closed. I was smiling myself. I watched the country girl regain her composure, brush herself off, and head down the stairs and out of view.

I was still leaning against the door frame, my thoughts filled with thoughts of Selina, when Hamilton appeared, short and redheaded.

"AHEM!"

"Yes?" I asked irritably. "What do you want?"

"Did you not notice you were ogling at her that whole time?" he hissed.

I gave him a look. "You were watching us!?"

"No, on the way here!" he retorted, rolling his eyes. "You were completely dumbstruck!"

"Well, what do you expect?" I shot back. "I mean, she's beautiful and all! And I'm single. YOU on the other hand..."

"This has nothing to do with me, Lee!" he hissed back. "And everything to do with you! Get a grip! Get a hold of yourself!"

"Why are you yelling at me for finding a woman attractive!?"

"BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO GET DISTRACTED!" Hamilton yelled.

"Er...did I interrupt something?" Lieutenant Vales asked, looking embarrassed.

"Lee has an interest in your sister!" Hamilton squeaked then dashed off.

That left me and Vales looking at each other awkwardly. I was red-faced and shifting uncomfortably and he was staring at me, blinking ever so often. Then, slowly, he walked up to me, put a hand on my shoulder, and looked me directly in the eye.

"Good luck. She's feisty. And just remember...she's got her own troop of protective brothers."

I paled. He laughed.

"But if you do catch her attention, be good to her," he said, dropping his hand as he finished and crossing the hall, shutting his bedroom door behind him.

"This is very complicated," I sighed.

[SELINA POV]

"Lee has an interest in your sister!" Hamilton's voice carried to my spot on the stairs as I climbed up to check for any open space.

My mouth opened and closed in shock. I crept up closer to the landing and crouched low, trying to hear what was going on.

"Good luck. She's feisty. And just remember...she's got her own troop of protective brothers." That was Samuel.

I could see Charles pale. Samuel laughed.

"But if you do catch her attention, be good to her," he said, dropping his hand as he finished and crossing the hall, shutting his bedroom door behind him.

"This is very complicated," Charles sighed.

I crept back down and held a hand to my chest, my heart pounding. Already Charles was interested in me? But then, I was already interested in him, so why not?

"Indeed it is," I muttered to myself, agreeing with Charles's sigh.

I got to work preparing dinner. Then I went with my father, Philadelphia, and Danny to tell Mother about our new guests.

"Madeline," my father was saying softly, gently waking my mother. "Madeline, darling."

She slowly woke. "J...James..." she whispered. A smile spread across her face.

"Hello, Mother," I said softly.

"Seline," she said tiredly. "Danny. Why is there so much noise outside? Are your brothers rambunctious in their play?"

"Er, no, Mother," Danny said.

"We are playing host," I said.

"Host to the Continental army," Father added.

Mother stared at us. "When did this happen?"

"I wrote the general upon hearing they were coming this way and in need of land to camp on, even if only temporary," Father said. "They arrived this morning."

"You offered housing to an army of men when we have a teenage daughter!?"

My insides twisted and I squirmed in embarrassment. "Mother...I can handle myself."

"She can," Father said before Mother could say anything. "She is not like any other girl. She knows how to handle a weapon, a horse, her brothers, the housework...everything you and I have taught her, she has mastered."

"That's what years of practice do," I muttered.

"She can handle herself," Father said again.

Danny and I ushered Philadelphia out of the room as Mother and Father started to argue again. I hurried back upstairs and found Hamilton and Lee arguing with each other.

"—IF YOU LIKE HER, THEN SAY SOMETHING TO HER!"

"I JUST MET HER!"

"WHO CARES!? Eliza fell in love with me at first glance!"

"WELL SELINE ISN'T ELIZA!"

"JUST TELL HER YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH HER ANYWAY!"

I cleared my throat and they both froze, turned to look at me, and paled. Then Hamilton flashed Charles a cocky grin and hurried down the hallway, disappearing into the rooms we had given him and slammed the door shut behind him.

"Well," I muttered to myself.

Charles' face was as red as Hamilton's hair. "Er..."

"Is he talking about what I think he's talking about?" I asked quietly, a blush coming up on my cheeks as I glanced at Charles.

"Yes," he said meekly.

"Well, it's a good thing Seline likes you back, then, huh?"

"You do?" Charles asked, shocked.

I nodded slowly.

"But I'm nobody. I mean, I'm a horrible general, everybody hates me...," he trailed off as I came closer.

"I don't," I said as I stopped, keeping a foot of space between us.

He didn't say anything, and I allowed myself to get lost in his eyes. The next thing I knew...I was having my first kiss.

Near a week later, we were kissing any chance we got.

And then he went to war.