The Stallion

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter 13

When it is time to go to sleep the unattached of the men retire to their rooms. The other three stay in the room soaking up the silence.

Elizabeth begins to stand, "Well, I am exhausted. Are you coming?" she asks Joshua motioning towards the stairs.

"Darlin' I don't think that's the best idea, if you plan on remaining..." he trails off allowing her to finish the thought. Elizabeth sits back down dejected knowing there is no way she will be able to sleep without Joshua next to her.

"That does present an issue." Elizabeth tells him.

"I have an idea," Joshua stands up quickly running out the door.

"Where are you going?" Elizabeth calls after him.

Akira and Red Harvest stand and say their goodbyes kissing each other passionately in the doorway of the saloon. Red not being used to a hotel has decided to sleep outside under the stars. The two depart and Akira bids the others goodnight and retires upstairs.

Autumn, in the same situation as Elizabeth knows that without Tony she won't be able to sleep a wink. The two women look at each other and let out a big sigh.

Suddenly, Joshua comes running inside and drops to Vasquez's side to whisper in his ear. Vasquez hearing the news looks to Autumn and smiles, nodding his head.

"What are you two planning?" Autumn asks the two men.

"Come with us," Joshua tells them grabbing Elizabeth's hand and leading her outside. Tony doing the same with Autumn.

Joshua leads the group down the street to the burned church where a lone candle burns in the front. Preacher is waiting looking from the men to the two women.

"What are we doing here Joshua?" Elizabeth asks suspecting something.

"Well," he starts looking to Tony, "we know that we can't let you out of our sights and you can't sleep without us there. So there seems like only one solution." Joshua drops to one knee looking up at Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth Cullen, I may be dead in six days from now but, I love you and I want to marry you and spend my life with you, no matter how long that may be. Will you marry me?" Joshua asks her. Elizabeth is speechless, he has a habit of doing that to her.

Autumn opens her mouth in shock and quickly turns to Tony who she also notices is standing on one knee.

"Autumn," he starts, "I know we haven't been together long, but I knew you were the one when I captured you at the house and you sassed me back....I love you senorita, te amo, I cannot imagine one more minute sleeping alone without you. Will you marry me?"

The two women are silent looking at the two men on their knees begging them to marry them. The girls look at each other, and decide immediately.

"YES!" the two women shout at the same time dropping themselves into the men's awaiting arms.

"Well it looks like we are having two weddings tonight" the preacher says clapping his hands together.

The two girls laugh and wipe their tears, and the two couples rise to stand before the preacher.

"Do you Joshua Faraday and Antonio Vasquez take Elizabeth Cullen and Autumn Hart to be your lovely wedded wives, to have and to hold, in sickness, and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Joshua tells Elizabeth.

"I do," Tony tells Autumn.

"And Autumn Hart and Elizabeth Cullen do you take Antonio Vasquez and Joshua Faraday to be your lovely wedded husbands, to have and to hold, in sickness, and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Autumn tells Tony.

"I do," Elizabeth tells Joshua.

"Then by the holy spirit invested in me, I pronounce you man and wife," Preacher tells Joshua and Elizabeth, "and you man and wife" he tells Tony and Autumn. "You may now kiss the brides."

The two men kiss their wives and cheers erupt from the back of the church, Emma and the other men are there and come over to congratulate the newlyweds.

"How did you know?" Elizabeth asks them.

"Red saw you leave, and came to get me. I felt like we should all be there we are your family after all." Akira tells her.

"Oh Elizabeth," Emma moves to Elizabeth gathering her in a hug, "Matthew would be so proud of you, and I think he would love you too Joshua! Welcome to the family!" Emma declares embracing them both.

When the congratulations are over, the two grooms carry their women back to the hotel and up the stairs to their respective rooms to consummate the marriages.

The only sounds from those rooms that night are sighs and screams of pleasure, as the two newly married couples make their love official.

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