No Time To Die- ARTHURMORGAN x O/C

part 9- Saving Your Asses

The sun blinds Claudia's eyes as she wakes up from the sound of Miss Grimshaw shouting. "Okay okay, I'm up" Claudia whines as she feels her head pounding. She gets up and puts her boots on her feet, all she remembers from last night was hearing Ducth calling out her name when he told her the truth. The truth about her life, today feels different to her like all the pieces of the puzzle have been put together and fit perfectly.
"Here have this" Arthur walks up handing her a cup of coffee, she takes it out of his hand thanking him.
"So what are you doing today?" Claudia asks Arthur as he leans against the side of a wagon.
"Got to go and meet someone, John needed me for something in Valentine then Dutch wanted to meet me in the Saloon" Arthur answers taking a sip of his Coffee.
"You've got a busy day then" She states as they both make their way over to the campfire where everyone was eating their breakfast from Pearson. Arthur grabs a bowel and fills it up with stew, he offers some to Claudia but she declines it.
"Miss Jenkins will you tend to the horses please" Miss Grimshaw orders while she collects everyone's empty plates. Claudia nods getting up from her seat. She makes her way over to the horses and starts filling their buckets up with water and hay. She could see Arthur placing a letter into his satchel and mount his horse. He rides off not saying a word. She wonder what he was hiding, does he not trust her? What was that letter? Why didn't he say who he was meeting? Maybe she's overthinking.

Finally, Claudia brushes the horses that were left in the end to clean them as most people have gone out to do their business. It been hours since Arthur has left, "Miss Jenkins you've done your jobs for today, you are free" Miss Grimshaw declares as she rushes past her. Claudia looks around to see if anyone was looking, she swiftly mounts on Nyrah and rides off down the path that leads to Valentine. It's nice and quiet, too quiet she realises. There's no one riding towards Valentine even though there's a farmers auction about to happen. Claudia kicks the horse making the speed increase. In the distance she sees John and Strauss being held down by two men, she stops looking at what's going on. The sound of guns start to go off startling her horse, "shhh it's okay girl" she whispers. Claudia. Gallops her way around the back of the saloon and uses her horse for support to climb onto the roof. She takes her rifle out and starts to help the boys out down below.
"Who's that shooting" Arthur yells from hiding behind a barrel.
"I think you boys could use some help" Claudia shouts down loading up her ammunition again. Dutch and Arthur both look at each other realising who it was.
The fight when on, Claudia covering any hired guns who were shooting at the 4 men trying to escape with 1 injured. As all of the men leaving to chase the boys she gets down from the roof to see 2 cornwalls with guns aiming at her.
"Put your weapons down now" One of them shouts nudging the gun at her.
"Fine calm down" she places her rifle across her back rising her hands in the air. Claudia instantly garbs both revolvers making the bullets hit both in the head. Out of the blue she feels a sharp pain in her shoulder, "ah shit, there's blood on my favourite shirt" She whines looking down at the blood seeping through the material. Behind her is Law running straight towards her.
"Come on girl, get me back" she mounts Nyrah and rides back to camp while trying to get rid of the law behind her ass.

It's getting dark, her vision going blurrier as the time goes by from the blood loss. She reaches camp seeing Arthur and Dutch arguing from outside of his tent and everyone packing up. "Arthur" she mumbles as she falls off her horse.
"Claudia" John gasps as he runs over to her. Arthur head turns at the name and sees her injured.
"Where the hell you been?" Dutch yells as him and Arthur make his way back.
"Oh Claudia it's nice to see you, oh my god you're injured" Claudia mocks as she winces in pain.
"We've been waiting to leave" Dutch says.
"Well I'm sorry your highness but I was too busy saving your asses, the law got me but instead of leading them here I had to run them off me" She points at Dutch, Arthur and John.
"Come on we need to get you sorted" Arthur states making his way over to help her.
"She can wait, we need to leave now before the law comes running up here to kill us all" Dutch announces.
Arthur walks up to him "She's going to die if we don't treat her" Arthur disagrees quiet.
"Don't tell me what to do" Dutch mutters.
"She's your daughter for christ sakes" Arthur yells a bit too loud. Everyone around camp looks in that direction, the secret is finally out.
"Everyone on the wagons, we've got to leave" Dutch orders as he mounts on Count. John and Arthur help Claudia over to the wagon "No she can ride on her own horse".
Arthur and John sigh turning around and start to help her mount her horse. "I'm fine, leave me be" She shakes their arms off her and pushes herself up keeping one hand on the wound.
They enter Lemoyne cautious of the Lemoyne Raiders, it's been about an hour since they left and the sun was setting. Arthur looks back at Claudia seeing her struggle keeping herself up right. "Hosea, she's is about to drop if we don't stop"Arthur says as him  and Hosea sit at the front of one of the wagons.
"I know, stop the wagon and get her on the back" Hosea orders and gets off the wagon. Him and Arthur get her off Nyrah and place her at the back of the wagon next to the blankets and food.
"Why are you stopping" Dutch asks as he notices how everyone has slowed down.
"Just saving a live her" Hosea yells back at him.
"I didn't say she could get off" Dutch snaps back.
"Well I did so let's get moving or otherwise we all going to be dead like you said" Hosea argues back and gets back onto the wagon with Arthur. Dutch huffs and rides on.
"Wow didn't know you could shut him up for once maybe you should do that more" Claudia stutters making Hosea laugh.
"Just hold on back there, Miss Jenkins" Hosea says keeping an eye on her.