Aaliyah's Redemption: Bound by Fate ***DISCONTINUED, READ DESCRIPTION***

Chapter XVII

The storm clouds were rolling in, the grey sky heavy with the promise of rain. Arthur and Aaliyah rode together on Maverick, leaving the camp behind as they followed the winding path toward Valentine. A soft, uneasy silence settled between them, a welcome break from the chatter back at Horseshoe Overlook. Aaliyah had been unusually quiet, her arms loosely wrapped around his waist, as if lost in her own world.

Arthur's thoughts drifted as Maverick's hooves thudded rhythmically against the dirt. He replayed Aaliyah's reaction in his head, the way her eyes had lit up when he mentioned Freya. That moment had stirred something deep inside him—something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Since Mary.

He sighed, his grip tightening slightly on the reins. Mary had been a wound that never quite healed. He had given her everything, only to watch her walk away. After that, he'd sworn off getting too close to anyone. Love, he'd learned, was a dangerous gamble, and Arthur Morgan wasn't in the business of losing anymore.

But Aaliyah... She was different. There was a fire in her that reminded him of the life he'd lost, but also a tenderness he hadn't realised he craved. He wasn't sure what to make of it yet, but being near her stirred something inside him that he'd long buried.

Arthur's reverie was broken when he felt Aaliyah's grip loosen. Her hands, once clasped tightly around his waist, now rested lightly on his lower abdomen. He shifted in the saddle, the brief touch of her hands sending an unexpected jolt through him.

"Arthur?" Her voice cut through his thoughts.

"What?" Arthur blinked, realising he hadn't been paying attention.

"I was asking if you had an idea how much Freya would cost," Aaliyah repeated, her tone a mix of annoyance and amusement.

Arthur chuckled, remembering the spirited black mare. "Depends if she gave the man hell or not," he replied, grinning to himself.

Aaliyah playfully slapped his abdomen. "I'm serious, Arthur."

He caught her hand, resting it gently on his own. "You're scared to see her, ain't ya?"

Her silence told him everything. Aaliyah hesitated before answering, "I'm not scared... Just, how sure are we that it's really her?"

Arthur's hand lingered on hers for a moment before he let it fall back to his thigh. "Do you trust Sadie?"

"I do," Aaliyah said softly, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her nervousness.

"Then trust me too. She'll be there," Arthur assured her. He was certain, or at least he hoped he was. "I found the mare at Sadie's. Sadie said it was Freya. She gave me a hell of a time for a few weeks before I sold her to the man at Valentine."

Aaliyah's breath hitched, and the weight of his words seemed to settle over her like the storm clouds overhead. She loved that horse, maybe more than she let on, and the thought of losing Freya again was almost too much to bear.

The silence between them grew thick, broken only by the occasional rumble of distant thunder.

***

By the time they reached the stables, the sky had darkened, the air heavy with the scent of rain. Arthur pulled Maverick to a stop and dismounted, the sound of his boots crunching against the dirt jarring Aaliyah from her thoughts.

He glanced back at her, noticing the change in her demeanour. The excitement she'd had back at camp had drained from her face, replaced with uncertainty.

Arthur gently placed her hands on his shoulders, her fingers cold and stiff. "Come on," he murmured as he helped her down from Maverick, his hands briefly resting on her waist before he stepped back. He tied Maverick to the hitching post, ignoring the murmurs of a few stable hands loitering nearby. As they passed through the stable's entrance, Arthur's hand instinctively moved to the small of Aaliyah's back, guiding her as the first drops of rain began to fall.

"Mr. Levi," Arthur called, his voice low as the stable master approached.

Aaliyah's eyes scanned the stalls, searching desperately for any sign of Freya.

The older man, Amos Levi, topped his hat in greeting. "Weclome, sir. Miss." He paused, noticing Aaliyah's anxious gaze. "Lookin' for somethin' in particular?"

Arthur nodded. "The black mare I brought in a few weeks ago. Feisty one."

Levi's expression shifted as recognition dawned. "Ah, the nasty one. Wild as the wind. Nobody's been able to get close to her since."

Arthur smirked, while Aaliyah's heart leapt. That sounded like Freya.

"For the lady, is it?" Levi asked, eyeing Aaliyah more carefully now.

"Yes," Arthur confirmed.

Levi rubbed his chin thoughtfully, glancing between them. "Well, wouldn't you rather have somethin' more manageable, miss? Somethin' calm, maybe?"

Before Aaliyah could protest, Levi turned to a stable hand. "Jimmy! Show this lady our available stock."

Aaliyah's hope wavered as she heard what Levi said. She wanted Freya, not some random horse. She mumbled a weak "Fine," her voice barely audible.

Arthur, however, wasn't having it. "What happened to the mare?" His tone shifted, low and firm, enough to make Levi pause.

The older man hesitated, a nervous twitch in his hands as he glanced at Arthur's hard stare. "A man came by... took her last week."

Arthur's eyes darkened. "Who?"

Levi swallowed, clearly uncomfortable. "I don't know his name. Said his boss wanted her. Paid me $15, said the mare was just what they needed."

"What for?" Arthur's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, his expression cold and unreadable.

"I think... I think he was gonna take her into the mountains. Set her loose, or..." Levi trailed off, his voice quivering under Arthur's intense gaze.

"Or what?" Arthur stepped closer, his jaw clenched.

Levi shifted nervously. "Or kill her."

The words echoed through the stable, cold and final. Arthur's breath stilled, his thoughts racing.

Then a scream pierced the air, shattering the tension in the room.

Aaliyah.

Arthur whipped around, fear gripping him as he heard her voice, a cry of pure anguish.