Blessed are the Peacemakers {[RDR2 Arthur X Reader]}

chapter 27; blessed are the peacemakers

~ Trigger Warning ~
Death, Burial

The sound of a shovel hitting the cold, hard ground rang through the valley. A chilled wind had moved in from the west, covering the greenery in a thin layer of frost. A sure that winter was coming. Dutch stands tall in the center of the group, his hands respectfully folded and his face stern, unreadable. A sober Reverend Swanson stands a few yards across, his Bible resting open in his hands. The other women curl around each other, dabbing their sniffling noses and wet eyes with handkerchiefs. You stand still as stone between the gang men. Arthur and John's strong shoulders heave shovels into the earth, digging deep holes.

"That's good boys." Dutch chokes out. The two men stop their motions, climbing out and brushing the dirt from their clothes. They walk over to the wagon where two bodies lie.

When the men had returned from their mission, you'd spent the morning carefully preparing the bodies for burial. Cleaning their faces and straightening their clothes before delicately wrapping them in white cloth. Gently, Arthur and John pick up Hosea first, gingerly laying him down in his final resting place. Then they move onto Lenny, moving slowly and carefully. Sweet little Jack retrieves a small satchel of flowers he had picked in a nearby meadow. He hands a small handful out to each gang member. You each take turns standing up to the graves, saying your goodbyes and sprinkling the dried petals over them. Reverend speaks over the graves, reminiscing over the many accomplishments Hosea had in his long life and the ones that Lenny would never have.

Small snowflakes begin falling down, leaving stinging cold kisses on your face. The two men return to their shovels, scooping the dirt back into the know filled holes. Despite the obvious melancholy that flooded the entire gang, the scene was rather beautiful. Miss Grimshaw had picked a perfect spot for them. The slow snowfall painted a peaceful image, laying a layer of clean white over the fresh dirt. Dutch walks forward, picking up two wooden crosses and pounding them into the earth. Each one is marked with their names, dates and a small verse or quote to help memorialize them.

Reverend closes his Bible, ending his small sermon. Arthur slides in beside you, pulling you into his side. John does the same with his Abigail, hosting Jack onto his hip. The small boy tucks his head beneath his fathers chin, his mother's arms wrapping around both of her boys. Silence falls as you all stand in the growing cold, wrapped in thick coats and blankets, watching the snow cover your two fallen members. Slowly, the crowd begins to dissipate, the girls turning to walk back to camp, followed by Susan, Uncle and Bill. Swanson begins his own stroll back, tucking his Bible beneath his coat and trading it out for a flask, ready to drown his sorrows. Charles and the Marston family are the next to go, leaving you, Arthur and Dutch alone. Dutch leans over, patting Arthur gently on the back, exchanging a look with him before turning away.

Now alone, you each take another moment before Arthur reaches down for the shovel. You follow him further back in the trees, helping search for a good spot yourself. You find a tall pine, one that towers above all the others. Behind it you can see the entirety of the vast valley. In the spring it would be flourishing with flowers and wildlife. A beautiful spot.

He digs a small hole, not as deep as the last. Given that you have no physical body to bury, you each had privately written letters to your sweet babe. You fold the piece of journal paper, kissing it softly before placing it in the freshly turned earth. Arthur follows suit, lying his letter next to yours. Crouching down to your knees, you help him scoop the dirt over with your bare hands, patting the dirt down, sealing it forever. He reveals a small cross he had made himself, pushing into the hard earth. There was no name, no date just the words

"Blessed are the peacemakers"

You stand back up, leaning into Arthur's side, his arm smoothly sliding around your back. Once again, the snow covers the tiny memorial. The peace you'd both been hoping for spreads over you.

Someday, you will have the life you've always dreamed of. It just wasn't meant for you quite yet.