The Outlaw (Outlander Fanfiction With A Twist)

Rupert

I kicked my mare on   , behind me I could hear the neigh of Rupert's horse as he galloped, closing in on me.

"You better Slow down lass!" He shouted with  a hint of anger in his voice. I ignored him and sat up in a jockey position letting my horse jump  over a fallen tree.

"In your dreams old man!" I laughed out enjoying my little rendezvous​ much more than I thought I would . I doubt he heard anything I said as the wind that pressed against my skin also muted my words.

My destination came into view, a big oak tree with a small hut beside it. Vines ran up and down the damaged wood and a crystal clear lake flowed beside it, the banks and the back of the tiny, abandoned building falling into it.

I could still hear Rupert behind me nevertheless I slowed down and came to a halt under the tree, my horse stomping over sprouting vegetation. Swiftly I jumped off landing on the mushy ground, my boots making an impression on the weirdly looking red soil.

"I win." I chuckled seeing Rupert pull his reigns back and halt . He mumbled something under his breath  and swung his leg over ready to jump down yet it didn't go as planned. His foot got caught in the stirrup and he fell backwards, the back of his head coming in contact with a rock.

" Rupert! Are you alright?" I asked slightly worried knowing that such an impact could kill someone on the spot.

"I'm fine!" He got up, his arms flying up in the air.

"So..." I held out my hand  "I win." With a scowl he  opened a small pouch attached to his belt and fumbled with the coins inside.

"Damn witch." I heard him whisper as he handed over five coins he would much rather waste on some whiskey .. It's fair though.. He lost a bet I won it easy as that.

"I'm no witch, I'm just better at horse riding." I bit back turning away from him and taking in the peaceful looking clearing. It looked very pretty, supposedly like a grandma's garden with blooming flowers everywhere. I spotted a stone  fence surrounding the area and the spot we entered through must have been a gate as the gap was wide with no signs of stone.

"Everything here is so pretty, calm and relaxing ." I said to myself.

"Aye... if that's what you call the aftermath of a red coat attack." Rupert must have heard me. I was surprised by what he said, at first it looked like an abandoned home but only now I could see the damage.

"See." He pointed to the left side of the hut where two coffin sized piles of dirt were. One might have thought they weren't graves but some excess soil lying around .

"Who were they?" I twirled around to Rupert. The graves were hidden in the shadows unnoticeable, he must have known they were there in the first place.

Rupert stayed silent and walked up to the graves kneeling down,  his eyes never leaving them.

"Parents?" I asked unsure, unsure of what to say as I felt his pain, his shoulders sagging, his hands forming fists and his knuckles white. The air grew thick, humid almost.

"No, mother and sister... They threw my father's corpse into the river, I was a bairn back then." He shook his head as if reminding himself to not open up to a stranger, to me. I  knew what he was doing because I also  did that every time I  caught myself confiding  in someone.

After placing a couple of flowers on top of  the graves he got up .

"It's time we go back, it's getting dark." Rupert didn't wait for my answer and got back up on the horse in a flash.

" For what? Ah sure your right, Angus and his cock must be worried sick by now  . Can't keep them waiting any longer can we Rupert ." I winked in his direction trying to lighten up the mood. My futile attempts didn't go unnoticed as a the sides of his lips momentarily twitched upwards before he realised I directed the words at him and his inseparable bond with Angus.

" Get up on the horse woman." He ordered and I obeyed keeping my head down to hide my amused smile. "Now.. Want to make a bet?" I looked up to see him smirking with a playful glint in his eyes .

"Oh your on!" I shouted and without warning bolted towards the camp.

—————

"Glad ye two are finally back!" Angus welcomed us alerting the MacKenzie men . Most of them stopped what they were doing and looked our way.

"Rupert did ye catch anything ?" One of the young lads asked as he walked towards the fire with wood on his shoulders. Rupert's cocky smile, a symbol of his racing  victory faded. His eye's widened and I snickered, he forgot.

"Now you know why you won." I whispered loudly enough for him to be the only person  to hear. 

"He didn't." Around ten hungry men  glared " but I did!" I smiled getting off my mare and undoing the heavy sack filled with four rabbits. On the other side hidden away from Rupert's eyes were two tied foxes.

"The lass caught them, you cook them ." Angus gave his life long friend a pat on the back and  laughed  assigning him a woman's duty, a duty Rupert wasn't happy with.

"Go light the fire and get me some water grandma." I said adding to Rupert's embarrassment. It was clear he struggled with  trying to contain his anger. He also seemed to struggle with not slapping me across the face. After getting him  riled up my eyes fell on Angus.

" Would you know where Claire is? " I asked addressing her absence. She wasn't there that's for sure.

"Cait a bheil an Claire  !  ." Angus shouted to a bunch of men sitting by the now lit fire . Jamie turned around whilst the rest continued to converse in Gaelic .

"Went to wash her face!" Jamie shouted back and went back to ignoring my whole existence. I bet that would be a different story with Claire. That man can't keep his eyes off her.

"Alright point the way."