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Isabelle sat near the window; she watched the sun rise over the trees. It had been so long since she had been able to do just sit and enjoy a sunrise.
“ Isabelle.”
“ Yes Mother Superior?” Isabelle said looking at the older woman.
“ It’s time for class.”
“ Yes Mother Superior.” Isabelle said following her from the room.
“ When the war is over, you man remain here and become a nun child or you may return home.”
“ I am to be married. My fiancé James is fighting in the war. He’s been gone so long.” Isabelle said, a dreamy look in her eyes. The Mother Superior smiled, to be young and in love again, such a delight.
“ That is good. You must bring him by to introduce him to us once you’ve been wed.”
“ I shall. I thank you for all your kindness.”
“ It is our pleasure and anything for Father Brian.” She said with a smile.
“ Sister Mary Elizabeth here is Isabelle.”
“ Thank you Mother Superior.” Mary said. Isabelle sat down at the small desk and looked around the room. Most of the girls in the room where there to learn the ways of being a nun, she was there for protection.
“ Sister Mary Elizabeth there is a letter here for Isabelle.”
“ She’s here give it to her.” Mary said, Isabelle smiled as she took the letter from the young girl. She looked at the writing across the front and knew instantly it was from her James.
“ May I be excused Sister?”
“ Yes you may.” Mary said watching Isabelle nearly bound from the room.
Isabelle found a quite place in the convent and opened her letter.

My Dearest Isabelle.

I know I’ve been gone so long. And I am hoping this letter reaches you before anything happens. The unit I am with has been under fire for days now and many of the soldiers are dead and we are dwindling in numbers. I fear I might not make it home to you. I love you Isabelle and want you to know that even if we haven’t been wed you are my wife, my soul and my life. If I never make it home to you, I’ve left word with my mother to bring you a few things, things that I have made especially for you.

Love you Always and forever
James

Isabelle dropped the letter and began to sob, tears ran down her cheeks as she began to think about life without James.
“ Child what is wrong?” She heard one of the nuns ask. She could hear the woman pick up the letter and gasp.
“ Come we must speak to mother superior.” She said guiding Isabelle down the hall. Isabelle wasn’t even sure if she wanted to live anymore after hearing that James might not be coming home.
“ Mother Superior.”
“ Yes what is it Mary Margaret?”
“ Isabelle received this. I found her in the hall in hysterics.”
“ What is it child?”
“ He..He..He’s not coming back.” She stuttered.
“ Who’s not coming back?”
“ James.” Isabelle said thinking that would answer everything. The mother superior suddenly realized the conversation she had had with Isabelle earlier that morning.
“ Your fiancée dear?” She asked looking at Isabelle.
“ Yes.” Isabelle said.
“ How do you know he isn’t going to return?”
“ I received this.” She said handing the letter to her. Mother Superior took the letter and scanned it, then she noted the date at the top, it had been sent nearly a month before. She wondered if Isabelle had even noticed this.
“ He’ll be fine Isabelle. Go with Mary Margaret and pray. I must do some work.” She said in a rush. Isabelle nodded but did as she was told. Mother Superior looked at Mary Margaret and nodded.
“I’ll send Sister Ellen to find Father Brian.”
“ Thank you. Please tell him it’s most urgent that I speak to him.”
“ Yes ma’am.” Margaret said closing the door. She hurried to catch Ellen before she caught up with Isabelle in the chapel.
“ Sister Ellen.”
“ Yes Sister Mary Margaret?”
“ Fetch Father Brian, Mother Superior needs to speak to him.”
“ Yes sister.” She said hurrying from the convent. Margaret turned and headed towards the chapel to meet Isabelle. She walked in and saw that Isabelle was already bowing her head for prayer.



Kevin wondered why he had yet to receive word of his daughter and her well being. He sat huddled with a few of the soldiers hiding from enemy troops as they trudged threw the swamp.
“ Sir.”
“ What?” Kevin whispered hoping not to be heard.
“ We’ve been spotted.” The young soldier said hoping Kevin would get the hint. Kevin looked at him wide eyed and stood, he raised his gun and fired several times as he backed away from the advancing forces. The young man that warned him of their discovery dropped to the ground dead next to him. Kevin moved backwards some more before feeling a burning in his leg as he heard a shot. Kevin dropped his gun and clutched his now bleeding leg, he looked up as two soldiers came up to him, that was the last he saw as one hit him the head.
“ Where do we take him?”
“ Back to Fort Mayer. Captain Richardson will be delighted we caught another turn coat.”
“ He will not be happy that we injured him.”
“ Don’t question me soldier. Just make sure his arms are secure and put him on the horse.”
“ Yes sir.” The young soldier said as he first made sure that Kevin wasn’t going to bleed to death. Then he reached around and bound Kevin’s arms behind him.
“ Hey help me get him on the horse.” He said to another one. The soldier walked over and helped hoist Kevin onto the horse.
“ It would be easier Eric if you bound his hands in front of him. He’d be able to keep himself upright.”
“ He’s right soldier. Bind his hands to the saddle horn.”
“ Yes sir.” He said doing as he was asked. He could see that Kevin’s eyes where half open and he knew that Kevin wasn’t entirely there as he had been shot.
“ How long till we arrive at the fort sir? He will need medical attention.”
“ We will arrive in the fort within a day’s ride.”
“ Yes sir.” Eric said climbing onto the other horse and grabbing the reins of the horse Kevin was on, it was then he noticed a small picture tucked safely away inside Kevin’s pocket. Eric was about to reach for it but Kevin’s eyes opened all the way.
“ Don’t.” Kevin growled, pain evident in his voice and eyes.
“ I won’t.” The young soldier said as he lead the horse threw the woods. Kevin could feel the wood throbbing, it was hard to focus, but he was determined to stay conscious at any cost. He felt like they had been ridding all day when they came to a stop for the night.
“ We rest here. Put the prisoner over there.”
“ Yes Sergeant.” The soldier said pulling Kevin off the horse and helping him walk over to the tree.
“ Capturing the enemy must be nice for you boy.” Kevin said looking at him.
“ Not really. I think this war is pointless.” He said securing Kevin to the tree. “ Get some rest you’ll need it.”



Brian arrived just as the sky darkened and threatened again of rain. He swore it never actually stopped raining and wondered what was of such urgency that the mother superior would send a nun to fetch him. Brian rushed threw the halls he could hear someone crying but was unsure where it was coming from as he found the mother superiors office.
“ You sent for me?” He said out of breath.
“ Yes, thank you for coming so quickly Father Brian.”
“ What was so urgent Mother Superior?”
“ It’s about your cousin Isabelle.”
“ Is she ill? Is she all right?” Brian asked in a rush.
“ She is not ill. But she’s not all right. She received a letter from her fiancee this morning.”
“ Well that is wonderful. She must be excited.”
“ No, it was a sad letter, portraying a dying man. It was dated early last month.”
“ Then if it’s only been a month why worry?”
“ It was dated early last month of last year.”
“ Oh my.”
“ Yes and I believe if this is the only letter she’s received then her young man is surely dead. Do you know of a way to reach his family?”
“ No. I wasn’t close to his family. I was away for many years only returning home when requested by my cousin to care for his young daughter. He felt at her young age she shouldn’t be left alone.” Brian said.
“ As is a good idea during these times. But Father Brian, she is not doing any better here than she was at her home. She was looking better but I knew in her heart she yearned to return to her home, to her family. Being a nun is a calling by god as well you know father. But her being here was of her uncle’s wishes to keep her safe. And for that I shall, but remember the safety of her sanity and heart are at stake here as well. I would advise sending word to her uncle and finding out the whereabouts of her father.”
“ I shall, I will pen a letter this very evening and have it messenged to my cousin. He must know by now of his brother’s whereabouts.”
“ Very good. Now if you’d like to see Isabelle, she was in the chapel praying.”
“ Thank you. I shall stop in for a short visit. But I must return to the seminary before the storm comes.”
“ Thank you Father Brian.”
“ Anytime.” Brian said heading out of the room. He found the chapel and found Isabelle, he noted it was her tears he heard when he rushed down the hall.
“ Isabelle.” He said quietly as not to disturb anyone else’s prayer. Isabelle sniffled a bit and turned towards the voice.
“ BRIAN!” She screeched running to him. Brian looked around and noticed she was in the chapel alone as she ran into his embrace. Brian held her close as she cried she slid down to the floor taking Brian with her.
“ Shush now, it’s all right.” Brian said as he began to soothe her.
“ He’s gone Brian.”
“ We don’t know that honey. Wait until we can speak to his family. All right?”
“ All right, for now I will pray for his safe return.” Isabelle said trying to smile.
“ That’s my girl. I am going to go back to the seminary before the weather shifts, you get some sleep tonight and I’ll return in a few days?”
“ Ok.” She said with a smile.
“ Good girl.” Brian said kissing her cheek. He helped her back up off the floor and walked into the hallway. “ You be good and I’ll see you in a few days.” Brian said kissing her cheek again. He could have sworn she looked so much like a child, but she had gotten older and it showed in the way she carried herself, much different than she was when they left her home nearly four years before. Isabelle watched Brian leave the convent and then ran her fingers threw her long chestnut hair. She was going to be twenty-two that year and she knew that it hurt more every year to spend her birthdays without her family.
“ Isabelle come its time for bed dear.”
“ Yes mother superior.” Isabelle said sweetly as she walked down the hall.