🂱 • 𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚢 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘 • 🂱 ~ 𝒹ℴ𝒸 𝒽ℴ𝓁𝓁𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓎

chapter four - dueling

*not spell checked!*

The Oriental was filled wall-to-wall with drunkards, cowboys, lawmen, and gamblers after the show. Cigar smoke, sweat, gunpowder, and perfume lingered in the air.

Wyatt, Morgan, Virgil and Doc Holliday sat at the faro table dealing.
"So now we're in the mining business. Turning into regular tycoons. Gonna call this one the Mattie Blaylock. Mattie'll get a kick out of that, it's her maiden name."
"And what a maiden. Pure as the driven snow, I'm sure." Holliday joked.
"Doc, come on now!" Morgan said.
"Just his style, Morg. He doesn't mean anything." Wyatt replied. The men rose from the faro table, walking over to the bar.
"So tell me, Wyatt. I'm curious. Do you actually consider youself a married man? Forsaking all others?" Doc asked.
"Well yeah. Pretty much. I mean, I was no angel when we met. But people change, Doc. I mean sooner or later you gotta grow up." Wyatt said.
"I see. And what would you do if 'she' walked in her right now?" Holliday smirked.
"'she'?" Wyatt asked.
"You know damn well who I mean. That dusky-hued lady Satan." Doc suppressed a laugh.
"I dunno. Probably ignore her."
"Ignore her?" Doc said, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"People change, Doc." Wyatt said.
"I'll remember you said that."
"Wyatt! We gotta talk about Daisy." Morgan called after his brother. Wyatt turned with a sigh.
"What about her?"
"Well, we gotta talk to her. Get her out of the cowboys. It's not safe." Morgan said, concerned.
"Cheyenne can take care of herself." sighed Wyatt. "If she's in real danger and needs our help, sure, we'll help her. She chose to join the cowboys. I can't stop her."
"Since when was she 'Cheyenne' to you? We've always called her Daisy. Her middle name." Morgan frowned. Wyatt shook his head.
"When she joined them."

~

As if on cue from Doc and Wyatt's conversation, cheers erupted from the crowds. Josephine walked in.
"Oh, hell." Wyatt muttered under his breath. Josephine spotted Wyatt and smiled, waving. She began to walk towards him, but he turned away, ignoring her.

Behan stepped up to Josephine and tipped his hat. They walked to the bar together and sat down.

Wyatt turns to Doc.
"Satisfied?"
"I stand corrected Wyatt. You're an oak." Doc laughed.

~

Curly Bill, Ike Clanton, and Johnny Ringo strolled over to the faro table. Cheyenne brought up the rear.
"Wyatt Earp, huh? Heard of you." Curly Bill said, stealing a quick glance at Cheyenne.
"Listen, Mr. Kansas Law-dog. Law don't go around here. Savvy?" Ike Clanton bent down, narrowing his eyes. Cheyenne rolled her eyes, digging her nails into her palms again.
"I'm retired." Wyatt said casually.
"Good. That's real good." said Curly Bill.
"Yeah, that's good, Mr. Law-dog, 'cause law don't go around here." Ike said again, stupidly.
"I heard you the first time." Wyatt said.
"Shut up, Ike." Curly Bill said, putting a hand on Ike's shoulder.

Ringo steps up to Doc.
"You must be Doc Holliday."
"That's the rumor." Doc replied with a yawn.
"You retired too?"
"Not me. I'm in my prime."
"Yeah, you look it." Ringo sneered.
"And you must be Ringo. Look, darling, Johnny Ringo. The deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill, they say. What do you think, darling? Should I hate him?" Doc mused. Kate stood up, talking close to Holliday's ear.
"You don't even know him." Kate smirked.
"Yes, but there's just something about him. Something around the eyes, I don't know, reminds me of... me. No. I'm sure of it, I hate him." Doc said.
"He's drunk." Wyatt said to Ringo.
"In vino veritas." Holliday said, taking a sip of his cup. He was speaking Latin.

'In wine there is truth.'

"Age quod agis." Ringo replied quickly. Everyone raised an eyebrow, in surprise. Except Cheyenne. As a girl, she had taken Latin classes. After joining the cowboys, she had taught Ringo a few words in Latin.