Yellowstone

Chapter 38 - Rose In Paradise

Elisabeth and Walker had yet again spent the night in her trailer, and Elisabeth had cared for his wound.

It was obviously uncomfortable and it had taken him a while to fall asleep.

Elisabeth had stayed up with him, just to make sure that he was ok and that the wound hadn't reopened or become overly irritated.

The banamine had done little to ease his pain, but knowing that Elisabeth was there with him and wouldn't let anything go wrong eventually soothed him to sleep.

Rip came knocking on the trailer door bright and early, Walker answering.

"Bunkhouse. Both of you." He growled, looking between the two.

The two dressed themselves properly for work before walking in.

Rip gathered up the bunkhouse inhabitants, but not before he told Laramie to pack her things and make herself scarce.

The rest of the men and woman followed Rip out to the round pen, watching as he unlatched the gate.

"Lloyd, Walker, this shit ends here. All of it." He snarled, letting the two men in as the rest of the hands circled the pen, finding their places to spectate.

Elisabeth knew what was about to happen. Rip had brought them there to fight it out. It was a custom on the ranch and had been done a few times during Elisabeth's employment at the Yellowstone.

Once with Lloyd and Elisabeth.

Once with Rip and Elisabeth.

And once with Rip and Beau.

Now, it was Walker's and Lloyd's time to brawl.

Lloyd placed his hat on the post and walked in, blowing into his hands to rid them of the cold winter air.

"I got no reason to fight." Walker told Rip, sliding his hands into his pockets.

"You're gonna stand in that fuckin' round pen all day, every day, until this shit is behind you." The foreman spat.

Walker simply bit his cheek and lifted his hat to glide a hand across his inky hair before striding into the pen with Lloyd.

"Alright. Here's your chance. I know how much you like it when I got my back turned."

"Let's dance, prick!" The old man hollered, throwing the first punch.

Elisabeth sat up on the fence post, watching the two men swing at each other while Ryan stood by her side.

She subtly crossed her arms over her stomach, almost as if she was protecting the unborn life inside of her.

Ryan looked up at her as she did so, his navy blue eyes filled with worry.

"You good?" He whispered, quickly glancing at her stomach.

Elisabeth simply gave him a curt nod, her eyes fixated on Walker as he and Lloyd writhed and fought in the mud.

Old memories began to resurface in her head as she watched.

"Oh, you wanna fight huh?" Elisabeth snarled, a daring tone in her voice as she gazed at Rip in the round pen.

"I don't wanna hurt you." Rip tried coaxing her, but she was still bristling from her altercation with Lloyd.

"Oh but you let that old fart over there run his fuckin' mouth?!" She snapped, flexing her hands.

Her wounds stung, her knuckles having been busted open when John had brought the two down to fight it out, the other wranglers watching.

Elisabeth had ended up coming out on top, but her anger and adrenaline was still evident.