The wild, wild West (Arthur Morgan x f!reader)

CHAPTER 9 - Valentine

I don't know why the game lets you drive carriages repeatedly. I'm a threat to myself and everyone around me.

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„We're goin' to Valentine. Tilly asked ya to join."

I jumped when Arthur suddenly appeared behind me. I put the saddle I had been cleaning aside and stood up. Carefully, I avoided his eyes when I followed him. The dark purple mark on my cheekbone was quite prominent.

„I wouldn't take you at all." He glared at me, his voice hard.

I didn't get to reply. Nothing I could say would change what he thought of me now. But it still wasn't fair or justified.

Uncle - if I remembered his name correctly - was at the cart, along with some of the younger women. I was still quite unfamiliar with the gang. I knew Charles, Hosea, Dutch, of course, Bill and Mister Pearson. There was Miss Grimshaw and John, of course, wherever he was now, along with his - probably - girlfriend Abigale, who seemed to dislike him quite a lot. As far as I knew, they had a son - Jack?

I had gotten to know a few of the other women as well. Karen was fun, I was happy to see her on the wagon next to Tilly. She grinned at me when I sat next to her and another woman with brown hair and a friendly face. I tried to remember her name but failed. Arthur climbed on as well and sat in the front.

„I can't believe we're going to see civilization!", Karen cheered when we took of. „Feels like weeks since we did."

„Yeah, Valentine.", Uncle muttered with a grin on his face. „The very embodiment of civilization. You ladys are gonna love it."

„Okay then, let's go.", Arthur exclaimed .

We took of. First we went slowly through the forest surrounding the camp and as soon as we left it, he sped the horses up significantly.

„Ladys, sing us a song!", Uncle encouraged.

He didn't have to ask a twice, Karen started immediately, he voice shrill and full of laughter. „I got a girl in Berryville..."

The other two women chimed in: „...can't be screwed 'cause she's to damn ill. So I don't go down there no more, there's a blue horse laying outside her door..." I hummed along, but didn't bother to sing. I didn't know the text.

We galloped along the railroads, Arthur slowed the horses because a coach was driving in front of us. I watched it with furrowed brows, acknowledging how fast the horses went. Just a second later, a loud crack filled the air and the two animals bolted of into two different directions. The coach itself came to a rough halt. A man jumped out, lamenting and cursing.

The other women finished their song and Tilly asked: „Is one of you fellers gonna get that guys horses?"

„Well, I got lumbago.", Uncle muttered hastily and added: „It's real serious."

„I can...", I started, but Arthurs deadly glare stopped me.

„You're not goin' anywhere."

I huffed and sat back down. Curious eyes lingered on me, I ignored them as much as I could. God, that was embarrassing. The bruise wasn't helping either.

„Damn, what did you do?", Karen asked.

„Had a little... disagreement last night. He'll get over it.", I mumbled and watched Arthur walk over to the man to talk to him while I rubbed the bruise on my face.

„Oh, that's why you..." She fell silent and cleared her voice awkwardly.

Yeah right. Arthur Morgan beats women, how about that?

Mary-Beth cheered him on while he moved towards the white Shire horse that had escaped. The outlaws movements were calm and slow, I could hear a few barely audible scraps of the soothing words he muttered to calm the animal.

At least he was nice to horses, I'd give him that.

„See Uncle, that is a gentleman.", Mary-Beth smiled and watched Arthur, who reached the Shire and patted its neck gently.

He finally brought it back to the driver, that thanked him, relief obvious in his voice. Arthur was already on his way back to us and mumbled: „I was just...Trying to impress the women."

We took of again and Uncle joked: „You're turnin' into a regular ol' fairy godmother there, Arthur."

„What's that supposed to mean?"

„It means you have a heart.", Mary-Beth chimed in. „A small one, perhaps, hidden deep inside, but a real one." Her eyes landed on Uncle. „And you don't, you repulsive old lizard."

„Lizards have hearts.", the old man defended himself weakly.

We followed the dirt road towards the small town, while Tilly added: „Well, Arthur, I'm proud of you."

Karen stayed quiet, her eyes wandered over to me with an unsure look in them.

„To be honest, if you lot hadn't been here, I probably would have robbed him.", the man joked, earning chuckles from our small group.

„Well, you didn't.", Mary-Beth smiled.

We had arrived in Valentine. Our small wagon crossed over the railroads and passed by a pen full of sheep. Their noises and especially their smell filled the air, and Tilly commented on it immediately. „Uh, smell those sheep."

„Or is that uncle?", Karen grinned.

„Oh, very funny.", the victim of their joke mumbled.

Mary-Beths gaze was roaming over the houses and people, after a minute or to she commented: „This looks like a decent little town."

„Other people, finally.", Tilly agreed.

Then Karen pointed out: „Look at all that snow on the mountain. Sure don't want to be back up there." My eyes followed her gaze and I agreed silently.

„You think we should've asked Molly to come with us?", Mary-Beth asked, slight worry sounding in her voice.

A huff fell from Karens lips. „Oh no, Miss O'Shea is far to high and mighty now for the likes of us or to do any real work. She's a society lady now."

My eyes lingered on the buildings we passed. They were mostly made of wood, building with stone was to hard and expensive. Although the town was pretty small, it was bustling with life. Coaches and riders passed through the muddy streets, men and women on foot crossed our path, exited voices rang in the air, whinnies and the clanking of metal. It smelled of sheep and horses, a hint of alcohol, smoke, a mix of different pleasant and unpleasant smells that I couldn't decipher.

„The sheriffs office's on the right. Sure you can pick up some bounties, Arthur.", Uncle suggested, gesturing at the tall building.

„Heaven forbid you put your head on the line.", Arthur chuckled, steering the horses down the main road.

The elderly man let out a rough laugh. „That's a young man's game."

Arthur stopped the wagon and jumped off, waiting for us to get off as well. Just when I passed by him, his fingers clasped around my wrist painfully. „Behave yourself, ya hear me? No more runnin' off."

I shot him an icy look and hissed: „Let go of my damn hand, Morgan."

He pulled me closer towards him, his voice was a low mumble when replied: „Y' don't understand your situation, girl. Either you behave or I tie you to the back of the wagon and you can walk home."

„Ain't you a creative one.", I muttered through gritted teeth, and added a hushed „bastard". Without waiting for him to let me go, I ripped my hand out of his grip, but remained by his side.

Uncle and the women had continued their bickering and Arthur joined in. His cold gaze on the back of my head made sure I was going exactly where I should.

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-1280 words