Red Dead Revelation I: A Good Thing (ArthurXEliza)

Chapter Seven: Mr. Kilgore

Eliza shoots straight up and holds her breath. Turning slowly, she sees him. After all this time, after trying so hard to forget, and failing time and time again, here he was.

    "Aren't you gonna say hello?"

    He sounds so confident. Did he really expect her to come running to him?

    Eliza just stares at him, eyebrows furrowed. He loses his smile.

"Look, I'm sorry–"

"No," she interjects. "Don't. I should go." Eliza turns to walk away. He quickly walks to her and takes her hand. She turns to look at him quickly, giving him a sharp glance.

"Come with me. I need to talk to you," he whispers.

Their eyes meet and she can already feel herself growing lost in those ocean eyes of his. Her mind is telling her no. Go. Leave him in the dust!

But her body feels different.

He starts to lead her, and she follows, just as the crooked-nosed boy comes out of the mercantile. He watches her go and sees the man she is with.

"The big man..." he sneers quietly. He quickly leaves in the opposite direction.

Tacitus Kilgore continues to lead Eliza to his horse, the beautiful mare that she had seen once before.

"Boadicea...!" she greets quietly.

Mr. Kilgore smiles.

"You remembered."

He puts his hands about her waist, surprising her.

"Oh!"

He hoists her up onto the mare's back with ease. He wastes no time getting on and he pats Boadicea's neck.

"Hold onto me," he says as he looks back to Eliza. She slowly wraps her arms around his torso and with a quick tap of his spurs, Boadicea gallops through the street, avoiding pedestrians with ease.

***

After what feels like a long ride, Tacitus pulls the reins and Boadicea comes to a smooth stop. Tacitus tries to get off but finds Eliza still holding onto him for dear life. He laughs.

"You can let go now, Eliza."

Eliza untucks her head away from his wool coat and looks around. They're on a hill with a few trees. A mountainous landscape stretches out before them.

"I've never been here before."

"I figured you don't get out much."

"No..." she sighs, inspired by the view. "It's beautiful."

Tacitus feels her let him go and he gets off. Coming around to the side where her legs are hanging off, he extends his arms out to her. She scoots forward, placing her hands on his shoulders. She feels how muscular he is as he takes her by the waist and eases her down. She avoids eye contact, lest he sees right through her, and walks by a tall aspen. He follows her.

He waits a minute and looks at her. There was something different about her. That liveliness that he had grown fond of was like a flame dying out. He thought he could still see a glimmer in her eyes, when she took in their surroundings, as though it was just waiting for something to help it break through.

He knows he had something to do with it. They didn't part amicably, even though he tried. He wanted to tell her that he was leaving, but she would've asked why. And the why isn't something easy to swallow.

Eliza, through the silence, begins to wonder about why he brought her here.

He must be married...or have a family... she thinks. That's what he wants to tell me. Why else would he bring me out all this way?