Vivamus, Moriendum est (Rorschach x oc)

36. Build Me Up Buttercup

Mary's P.O.V.

Having still heard hooves by my head I tucked my arms tighter around me. The sound of boots hitting the ground followed. Slowly, I untucked my arms from my head. A decision I would come to regret. Daphne was standing over me and the exact moment I freed my arms she grabbed me and hauled me up. 

"Than-" The rest of the word died on my tongue as Daphne slapped me across the face.

"You dumb sack of bricks!" She slapped me again, "Now you've gone and lost two horses!"

I stumbled back reeling from the slaps, my cheeks stinging. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Remind me again what's the point of you being here you useless, useless" Daphne advanced on me, I took a few more steps back. Daphne's face was flushed, almost as red as her hair, which was beginning to fall from its braid framing her face. 

"Go ahead and run." She called after me, "It's all you're good for!"

"Listen, I'll help you find both horses. I'm sorry." I said. I decided to stand my ground. It didn't seem fair that she gets to make so many quick judgements of me.

"You have done enough." She sneered. "Never have I met anyone so worthless as you. I mean Roger, at least he means well. But you, you think you can just roll in here and take everything from me. I've put in the work to be here. This place is mine. And to think those tumbleweeds for brains think they can just put any old pretty face here that can just do whatever she damn well pleases! Well, I won't have it."

"I understand that. I am so sorry. I didn't know I was taking anything from you. I didn't know you!" I pleaded.

"Of course. You didn't know. Well then alls forgiven then, I suppose." Daphne turned back towards her horse.

"Thank you. I really didn't mean to cause any harm."

Daphne scoffed, "could have fooled me. All you've done is make a mess. A mess that now I have to clean up."

I took a step toward her horse. I could feel my own face beginning to get flushed. "What is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem-" Daphne had started to mount her horse. I rushed her and pulled her off. 

"No! Seriously, what is your problem? What is your problem with me? I barely know who you are, who any of you are! I don't even know how I got here! I don't know anything."

Daphne shoved me. "Don't you dare touch me, you city slicker. Get off."

"Then give me an answer! Stop with all this tension and melodrama. How am I supposed to figure anything out when there's no signals, no clues, and certainly not any communication!"

"How's this for communication?" Daphne swung at me. This time, for once, I was able to narrowly avoid the blow.

So, she wanted to fight. Fighting was something I could understand. I'd done enough of it before. I swung back at Daphne. She caught my hand and pulled me into her. We became a tumbleweed of sorts ourselves. It wasn't long before we ended up on the ground. A rolling mess of hair pulling and sloppy punches. 

"I have to find the two horses you lost!" Daphne spat as she swatted at my face.

I pushed her onto her back, "let me help."

"No." She said back as she swung at my face and then pushed me onto my back. 

"Go...back...to...where....you...came from." Daphne sneered, landing a punch across my face with each word. 

I shrieked and swatted back at her. As it so happened, Daphne was a lot stronger than the girls I used to fight on the Charlton Home school yard. 

A large figure appeared behind Daphne and yanked her off of me. It was Tala. 

Daphne shoved away from him, scowling.

"Stop this. Now." Tala warned. 

"She lost two horses! Two!" Daphne said. 

Tala turned to her, his dark eyes glittering, "you gave her a horse that you knew she couldn't ride. Prairie is not for inexperienced riders. You knew that and you gave her the horse anyway. You set her up for failure." 

"She's useless. Why is she even here?" Daphne complained.

"We will find the horses, but you need to cooperate with the rest of us." Tala said. 

"Fine. But I'm going now. By the time you get the square heads together they'll both be lost." Daphne said as she swung herself back into the saddle of her chestnut mare.

She did not wait for a response, tearing off leaving a trail of dust behind her. Tala helped me up and I made an effort to brush the dust off me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know-" I immediately blurted. 

Tala held up a hand, "It's alright child. It is not your fault. You were only trying to help."

"I'm not sure what I did. She just-I"

"You might not have done anything." Tala sighed, "This family has always been too much for the dramatics. Let's get the boys."

"Aren't you worried Daphne will get lost with the horses?" I asked. 

"Daphne knows these lands better than the palm of her own hand. She'll find her way back. It's her anger I am fearful of, and the dedication she has to these animals." 

"It's admirable. I mean, I didn't have much to do with animals where I'm from. But they're really beautiful. I don't blame her."

Tala put an arm around me and began to lead me back toward the ranch house and the stables. "You will leave this place at your first opportunity if you know what's good for you." He said.

The comment stung. I had probably spent the least amount of time with Tala out of anyone. But he was the person I had grown to like the most. To know he didn't even want me here hurt more than my broken face. 

He paid my silence no mind. "How's your nose?" He asked.

"It's been better." I admitted. It was feeling better, till Daphne decided to pummel it. 

I could feel Tala craning to get a better look at my face. "It doesn't appear that it's been rebroken, but we can take a closer look at the house. You'll probably have a nice black eye in the morning though."

"My favorite accessory." I laughed.

Tala smiled with me. "You'd look just as well without one. Maybe you should try a more natural look sometime. It'd hurt less."

Hurt less sure, but it just wouldn't be me.