The lost spark in your eyes //RDR2 // Arthur Morgan

Chapter 14

Arthur and Katie felt a sense of melancholy settling over them like the fog in the bayou as they walked through the bustling streets of Saint Denis. The towering buildings and the electric lights were a stark contrast to the open plains and landscapes of the West that have been their home for a long time.

The sounds of carriages and footsteps of pedestrians were unfamiliar in comparison to the wilderness, where the horizon was only interrupted by the silhouettes of mountains in the distance.

Their boots clicked against the cobblestone, a strange sound compared to the crunch of the gravel on the trails of New Hanover and West Elizabeth.
Passing by the saloons, the music and laughter filled the streets, which were unexpectedly loud in comparison to the guitar tunes around a campfire under the sky.

They found themselves missing the simplicity of a campsite, where shared stories and laughter filled the night.
The narrow streets of Saint Denis seemed to be closing in on them, suffocating the wilderness of the West.

They missed the freedom they felt riding beneath the open sky, chasing opportunities that were as wild as the land itself. Saint Denis couldn't replace the untamed spirit of the West that still lingered in their memories.

They both felt like a stranger in a foreign land with every step they took in the bustling streets of Saint Denis.

"Hey, you want some company, Mister?" Being interrupted in their thoughts by the woman's voice, they both looked up to the prostitute leaning on the wall of the nearby alleyway.

"No." Continuing his way, he looked back at the woman, her voice seemed to be familiar to him. "Wait, do I know you? Mrs. Downes?" Stopping in his tracks, Arthur took a step closer to the woman, who also seemed to recognize him.

"No. Not you. Leave me alone." Stumbling a few steps backward, she turned around, quickly walking down the alleyway. Arthur still looked at her in surprise as they both watched her leave.

"Who is that?" Even though Arthur seemed to know that woman, she was a complete stranger to Katie.

"She was married to that farmer. Thomas Downes. He took money from Strauss. I've sent Micah to their farm to collect the debt after I got him out of jail in Strawberry. Micah came back empty-handed. So, I rode to the farm after we robbed the bank in Valentine. Her husband was already dead due to a beating from Micah. I think he was sick. She had to sell the place to pay the money back." Still looking down the alleyway where she had disappeared, his attention was caught as Katie laid a hand on his arm.

"There is nothing you could have done." Continuing their ways, they walked through Saint Denis til they parted their ways.
Katie was supposed to meet with Lenny and Dutch to rob the trolley station, while Arthur was meeting with Trelawny at the tailors to prepare for the poker game tonight.

Walking up to Dutch and Lenny in an alleyway opposite the trolley station, Katie caught Dutchs attention as he was talking to Lenny.

"There you are. Keep walking. You're late." Dutch walked past her as he started to lead them out of the alleyway.

"Good to see you too, Dutch." She mumbled to herself, slightly surprised at his mood.

"We need to leave. We've doing well, making money, but for us all to leave together, we need enough for a boat. I found a friendly ship captain, and he is willing to take us to Australia or Tahiti. We just need to pay for passage and give him money for land when we get there." Stopping at the entrance to the alleyway, they discussed Dutch's plan.