When Hearts collide (An Arthur Morgan Rdr2 fanfiction)

Chapter 29: Bold move

Exhaustion, creeped on the peripheral, yet, sleep wouldn't come. Too many thoughts, plaguing the brain. One of them, being the conversation Peyton and I had had, only hours before. She was right. My absence, hadn't been my fault. Not completely. The fault rested upon Dutch's shoulders. After all, it had been him, who'd conned me into going on that suicide mission, to begin with. It had been him, who'd sat idly by, while our friends had been killed. It had been him, who'd forced me onto that boat, and away from my family. It had been him, who'd gotten John captured and taken to Sisika, where he now waited, to be freed. All the problems we now faced, were all in part to Dutch and his erratic behavior. It didn't help, that the man had Micah Bell whispering in his ear, either.

Sitting up in bed, I rake my fingers through my hair, thinking, planning.
Stirring from my sudden movement, Peyton glances up at me, from sleepy eyes.
   "Arthur, you okay?" She asks.
I don't say anything, for a minute, as I formulated a plan in my mind. Finally, an idea comes to me, and I turn to her.
    "Get dressed," I say.
    "What, why?" She asks.
    "Don't ask questions. Just, do it," I say, placing my feet on the floor.
    "What are you up to?" She whispers.
    "You'll see. Just get dressed. I'll be back in a moment," I say, rising to my feet and heading over to the room adjacent to ours.

Abigail looks up, when I enter the room, slight confusion on her face.
   "What are you doin' here?" She whispers.
   "Grab Jack and get dressed," I respond.
   "Why, what's wrong?" She asks.
   "Look, do you trust me?" I ask.
   "I trust you, more than I trust Dutch," she says.
   "Good. All will be revealed, soon. Meet us at my wagon," I say, before heading back to retrieve Peyton and our sons.

She offers Lance, to me. I take him, and gently bundle him up, snuggling him against my chest.
    "Ready?" I ask.
    "I guess," she whispers.
    "Come on. Follow me. Stay close, and stay quiet," I say.
Tip-toeing out of the cabin, we remain crouched as we make our way rather stealthily, to my wagon. Abigail was waiting for us, with Jack.
    "Ms. Roberts, go get the horses, and tether them to the back of the wagon. Jack, climb up into the back. There's some blankets back there, get bundled up," I say.
    "What about me?" Peyton asks.
    "Join the boy, in the wagon," I say.
Without hesitation, she climbs into the wagon with Jack. Abigail returns with our horses, and tethers them to the back of the wagon. I take the reins of two black shire horses, nearby. Leading them to the front of the wagon, I attach the harnesses and blinkers, and attach them to the wagon.
    "Get in the back," I whisper shout to Abigail, as I climb up to drive the wagon.

Once she's loaded up, I flick the reins and we're off.
   "Keep an eye out, behind us. We can't afford to be followed," I say.
   "You got it, Arthur," Abigail says, training her gaze on the road behind us.
   "Now, will you tell us what's going on?" Peyton asks.
   "We're cuttin' loose. That's what," I say.
   "What about John? I thought you said, you were gonna rescue him," she says.
   "I still am. But, our leavin', it couldn't wait, any longer. We had to get out, and now," I say.
    "Well, I'm glad. I didn't much like where Dutch was leadin' us anyways," Abigail says.
    "Neither did I. None of this, would have had to happen, if it weren't for him. We were at risk. Our safety, is what's important. Family comes first," I say.

Leaving had been rather easy. Perhaps too easy. But, still, anywhere was better, than sticking with Dutch and watching the fall out, we all knew, was coming.
    "So, any idea as to where we are headed?" Peyton asks.
    "I've an idea," I say, a smile forming on my lips.
    "I don't care, where it is. As long as we're safe and away from the craziness, that's all that matters," Abigail says.
    "My point, exactly," I say.
We ride in silence, after that. The muggy night air starting to become cooler, as I guided us to where we were going.
    "This terrain, it seems familiar," Peyton says, obviously very much still awake.
    "Well of course. We're passing through the heartlands," I say.

I can't explain how, but I could feel when she tensed up.
    "We're not going back to Horseshoe Overlook, are we?" She asks.
    "Nope, just passin' through. But, the place we're goin' to, you and I know pretty well," I say.
She grows quiet for a minute, before it finally dawns on her.
    "Of course. Arthur, you're a genius," she says.
    "Not always," I say.
    "Well, right now, you are," she says, and I could tell from her tone, she was smiling.
    "It's the one place, where no one will bother us. That, or look for us," I say.
    "That's true. I've always loved that place," she says.
    "Try and rest. We will be there, soon," I say.

The rest of the ride is peaceful. Yet, every once in a while, I would glance to the sides of us and behind us. One couldn't be too sure, when it came to the possibility of being watched or followed. We had been lucky, to make it out, when we did. But, had we really gotten off as easy as I had hoped? Gulping, I made a sworn oath to myself, that I would keep my guns on me at all times, just in case. Besides, this place was special, to me. I refused to think, someone would follow and try to take away the peace and tranquility, of a place such as this one. Turning off of the trail, I carefully guide the wagon, through the trees and down to the spot, where it had all began, months before. Parking the wagon, I climb down, and work to remove the marks the wheels had left, through the trees.

Running my boot, over the last traces of the wagons trail, I make my way back to the others. Better to be safe, than sorry. Very carefully and quietly, I set about making a makeshift home, for us. The women were asleep which I was grateful for. They needed the rest. I worked through the rest of the night, being careful not to light a fire, where the smoke could be seen. That was the last thing, we needed, was someone seeing it. Like before, I made the fire beneath the stone nook. By the time dawn approached on the horizon, all I had left to do, was set up mine and Peyton's bed. And I would do so, after a bit of rest.

Taking a seat behind the wagon, I hold my rifle at the ready, just in case it was needed. I didn't feel when I dozed off. Didn't feel the warmth of the day, as it dawned. All I felt, was peace and freedom, for the first time, in a long time.