Homecoming

Chapter Nine: Bear

Arthur

At the crack of dawn, Arthur decides it should be time for them to go. He had a special surprise to cheer me up. When he was out looking for the bastard he had run into a lady whose dog had had puppies. When the lady showed Arthur he saw a bunch of tiny brown pups all sleeping soundly.

Arthur right away asked if they were ready for sale. She happily said yes and even tried to have him take one that day, "No, I'll come back tomorrow if it's okay. I wanted my girl to pick the one she wants out."

"Oh, ain't that just the sweetest." the lady had squealed.

Arthur walked into my tent and lightly taps my shoulder. I'm asleep on my stomach with my face away from Arthur. He can hear my soft snoring which makes him smile a bit. "Etta, come on, let's go." Arthur hears me grumble as I'm pulled from sleep.

"Why are we goin' so early?" I asked in a groggy voice.

"Come on now, I got ya some coffee." Ah, the magic word to wake me up. I slowly start to roll over and sit up. Arthur almost falls in love all over again as he sees my cute bed head as I stretch in my bed. "Here ya go princess." He teases as he hands me my cup.

"Thank you, cowboy." I mumble taking a sip. I let out along. 'Ahh' after making Arthur chuckle. He leans down and kisses the top of my head.

"We gotta long ride so get dressed."

"Henry hid my horse."

"I found her yesterday. He checked her into the stable in Saint Denise. We can pick her up on the way."

I gave Arthur a smile so warm and beautiful that he almost forgot about the black eye. It seemed to be starting to yellow around the edges. But every time he saw it he wanted to kill the man who did it. When he had found him in Rhodes the day before he was in the saloon in town bragging about how he had had the most 'amazing' sex. It took literally everything in Arthur to not shoot him right then and now but when he thought of how disappointed I would be in him he was able to walk away.

Arthur hopped up on to his horse and waited patiently for me. When I walked over I had on a green skirt and white button-up blouse. Kinda like the one I was wearing the day he met me. I were finishing up braiding my hair over my shoulder.

"Don't you look pretty," Arthur said as he pulled me up in front of him.

"I only wore a skirt in case you try to take me somewhere fancy. But just in case you don't," I lifted my skirt a bit to show I had black pants on underneath.

Arthur chuckled as he started his horse. "Oh, I thought of a name for my horse finally."

"What did ya choose?"

"Athena, I heard you and Henry fighting over a goddess or somethin' like that the other day and it got stuck in my mind." Arthur felt quite proud of himself.

"That's a lovely name, Athena is my favorite goddess. She's the goddess of wisdom and warfare but also may other things." I explained.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, she's a tough, versatile woman." I smiled.

"Just like you." Arthur nudged my arm a bit.

"Pfft, hardly." He watched as I hid the pain from the horse trotting. He seems to slow the horse down a bit so I wouldn't bounce as much.

"Well, you play multiple instruments, you can shoot, your tough as hell. I say you are exactly like Athena." Arthur could see my cheeks turn red. He was proud of himself for the connection between me and Athena.

"I'm not wise though..."

"Ah, I think ya are."

"Thank you, Arthur."