Dutch's Daughter [[RDR2 Arthur Morgan x OC]]

chapter 36; morgans and marstons

Before entering the crowded tavern, Arthur dips his handkerchief into a water trough, wiping his face clean. He checks his reflection in the glass door. His color had indeed returned but he still looked sickly. There was no remedying that and it would be no surprise to Charlotte. He's been less than top shape since long before Guarma anyhow.

Upon his entrance, Charlotte tosses down her cards and squishes her cigarette on the table next to her opponents hand. She practically skips over to Arthur, overjoyed with her victory, showing off the stacks of bills she won. He gives her a smirk before pulling her in to plant a kiss on her forehead.

"Any problems coming in?" He asks, taking a seat at the bar.

"Not really. Guess they know we ain't in the city." Charlotte replies, ordering them two whiskeys.

"Who, the Miltons?"

"Yeah, they've had patrols out ever since you boys disappeared. But... at least you're alive."

Arthur winces, looking down at the bar top as his drink slides in front of him. Throwing it back, he downs it in one shot.

"What happened in Guarma?" She asks.

"Nothing nice."

"What happened to Dutch? He seems-"

"I don't know." Arthur cuts her off. He'd worried that she hadn't noticed it at all or was at least willing to overlook it. But even she knew something wasn't right. "Seems as though what began happening in Blackwater started happening years ago. A slow decline, I guess."

"What do you mean?" She questions further, downing the whiskey quickly, afraid of the truth.

"I ain't quite sure. What happened here?"

"Well, I tried to gather as many people as I could after you boys left." Charlotte pays the tab before heading for the door, Arthur close behind. "And John... you know that part." She swings a leg into Sheriff's saddle. "Follow me."

Arthur boards Rogue, thankful to be riding his own horse again. "So, what's the plan?"

"You wouldn't believe the lengths I had to go through to find him in the first place. I heard tell he was holed up in that prison but I needed to make sure he was still there. I needed to get high enough to see if he was."

"Ain't it on a island? What you do, learn how to fly?" Arthur scoffs.

"That's exactly what I did. Found this feller with a hot air balloon and he flew me right over it. Sure enough, there John was working on the chain gang out in this open field near the prison. They got plans to hang him. The guards spotted us and we had to get out of there. They chased us for miles but eventually I shook 'em loose, like I always do. Not before we crashed though.

I found out something else you'll want to know. They got Colm. They're gonna hang him in Saint Denis."

"Ah. He'll just escape again. Always does." Arthur grumbles, annoyed at the just the mention of the mans name.

"Dutch'll wanna see him swing." Charlotte mutters, wanting to see the bastard pay for his crimes just as bad, if not more.

"Sure... Dutch. He won't even help us with Marston! Our situation is really messed up right now. We ain't got time to worry about old problems. You know how things is!"

"That bastard is gonna swing!" Charlotte bellows, face red with anger. "I'm gonna make sure of it."

"Closely followed by Marston!" Arthur barks back. In moments like this, he can't help but see every bit of Dutch shine through in her. The spitting image of her father.

Charlotte grits her teeth, lighting another cigarette. "Then we got to rescue him first."

"From a state penitentiary?"