The van der Linde gang has taken shelter deep in the snowy mountains in an old mining camp known as Colter, following their botched robbery in the town of Blackwater. They are cold, hungry and unsure of what their futures hold. As Arthur Morgan is o...
Kay and Arthur guided their horses through town towards the lesser traveled Keane's saloon.
"I've been trying to figure out what kind a horse that is you got there. He looks like some sorta Turkoman Thoroughbred cross." Arthur asks with a puzzled look on his face.
"Pretty close. Good eye. He's actually a breed you've probably never heard of. He's an Akhal-Teke. It's actually another Turkmen breed very close to a Turkoman. They haven't been introduced to the states yet, they're strictly found in Turkmenistan, Asia. They are very proud of their horses there and very guarded. They don't want to share these horses. The man that owned this guy was the son of some higher up government official of Turkmenistan. He came to the states on a charter boat to visit and travel our country and wanted his prize horse with him. We crossed paths at the docks shortly after their arrival and I witnessed him abusing this poor guy. I took it upon myself to sneak in at night and relieve the bastard of this fine animal. That was up north a ways. I hightailed it south after that as far as I could. They would have hanged me for sure if they caught me. The United States government doesn't take too kindly to being made to look a fool to visiting foreign diplomats."
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"No doubt." Arthur chuckled. They approached Keane's and dismounted their horses.
"Mind if we hitch 'em up outback? I try to keep Orion off the main strip. As unique as he is I don't wanna risk him being recognized, however slim the chances." She explained.
"No problem. How long ago did you acquire him?"
"About a year ago. They're an extremely loyal breed of horse so despite the beatings I rescued him from it still took a couple months before he shift his loyalty and started warming up to me. Now he'll kill anyone trying to take him or posing as a threat to me."
"That's a good horse then. Then again I suppose most horses will if you treat them right and build that bond."
"I have to agree with you there." They hitched their mounts out back then entered the saloon. They sat at a table after ordering a couple drinks and continued to enjoy their conversation.
"So are you from somewhere up north?" Arthur assumed.
"Not originally, no. Much further west. The Pacific Northwest to be specific."
"Wow, really? Yer far from home sister! I want to travel further west. Away from all this civilization. Haven't made it there yet."
"Well there's plenty of civilization all the way to the Pacific. Not as much as out this way but unfortunately it's unavoidable. There is plenty of land and untapped wilderness spread out there still though." She offered to Arthur's disappointed expression, causing him to perk back up a bit. They both finished their drinks and Arthur was about to get up to grab another round when Kay spoke up.
"Hold up Arthur, next round is on me. I figure it's the least I can do seeing as how when we first met it was at the business end of my rifle." She said with an apologetic look. When she returned and sat back down she was holding four drinks, two for each.
"Here we go, hopefully this will put a dent in what I owe you in apologies." She expressed happily.
Arthur smiled and threw back a shot. "Miss Sinclair, not that I don't appreciate the gesture but I understand the circumstances I put you in. Not that I enjoy having a rifle pushed against my head but I can't say that I wouldn't do the same thing in yer shoes." He said understandingly.
She smiled in appreciation of his ability to be such a good sport about the whole thing. After they finished their shots Kay was definitely feeling the warmth of the liquor coursing through her along with the slight buzz of the early stages of intoxication. That's probably why she found herself holding eye contact with the burley blue eyed outlaw a bit longer than she should.
Arthur also had a good buzz at this point and found himself doing the same with her.
When she realized how long they'd been holding each other's gaze she looked away, her face becoming flushed at the awkward moment. She mentally scolded herself for letting her guard down, even if it was for such a brief moment. As she sat there reminding herself that she needed to put the brakes on this whole situation with him, remembering the rule of no relationships beyond common civility and daily brief interactions with people she encountered through typical routines such as at the store or on the street, she couldn't help but try to reason with herself that it would be okay just this once to make a friend. What harm could it do? It had been going on over a year and a half since she'd had any significant interactions or relationships beyond acquaintances and she missed having people to talk to, laugh with and hang out with.
"Well I appreciate your understanding Mr. Morgan." She said with a smile as she looked at him from under the bridge of her hat. Arthur didn't know if it was her piercing eyes or if he liked the idea of a woman that could handle her own but he was finding himself extremely drawn to this woman.
"Please, call me Arthur, miss Sinclair."
"Alright as long as you call me Kay." She replied. Every bit of her brain told her she needed to end this and turn and walk away.
"I think I can do that, Kay." He said as he leaned in, deepening their eye contact.
Her heart and stomach told her to stay. She held his gaze for a moment as she considered her next move....her brain won.
"Well Mr. Mor...I mean Arthur, I apologize for having to cut this short but I have a matter that I need to tend to elsewhere." She felt horrible for lying but it wasn't like she had a choice.
"Oh, uhh, of course." Arthur stuttered as he rose to his feet while she did the same. "Uuhhh...is everything alright? I didn't say or do anything wrong did I?"
"No, don't be silly." She smiled and batted her hand in the air dismissing his concern. "I just forgot about this, thing, that I really need to get done. Thank you Arthur. For your help earlier and your company and conversation. You have no idea how much I needed that." For a brief moment she looked and sounded sad as she conveyed the last bit. She quickly went back to her normal demeanor as she reached out and shook Arthur's hand.
"My pleasure. Hopefully we can run into each other again sometime." He didn't want the conversation to end and he truly hoped that their paths would cross again, sooner rather than later.
