Playing Dangerous ↠ ||RDR2 // Arthur Morgan X Reader||

chapter 16; change

'Every time that we run,
we don't know what it's from.
Now we've finally slowed down,
we feel close to it.
There's a change gonna come,
I don't know where or when,
but whenever it does - we'll be here for it.'

-

The ride back to camp was plagued with a sense of urgency. The horses' were pelting down across the ruthless plains to make it back down to Rhodes in good time.

Since the scrape, Dutch finally getting to draw the last moments of life out of Colm O Driscoll – the gang leader rightly assumed that it was time to move onwards again and search for somewhere new to settle and lie low for a few more months. Arthur was just glad that maybe this means Micah wouldn't come crawling back anytime soon.

They knew camp was close when the air became thick and soupy, muggy and humid – making clothes cling to the skin and the horses' suddenly drip with sweat. The two men trotted through the tree line and into the clearing of camp, and all eyes were up  - counting and quickly noticing they were a man short.

No one seemed too upset that Micah was missing.

"Where is Mr Bell?" Abigail was the first to say, crossing her arms over her chest whilst John shot her a cautionary look for her challenging tone. It was no secret that Abigail had rather fallen out of trust with Dutch since he had so willingly let you get exiled from the gang.

With one sweeping motion, Van Der Linde dismounted from The Count's back and tethered his horse up to the post. There was already an apologetic look on his face, like he was seeking forgiveness from his followers.

"We... we discovered somethin'." Dutch swallowed, looking down for a few moments as he paced gingerly into his own camp – under fire from a lot of confused gazes. Slowly, Arthur walked behind, minding to give Dutch plenty of space, he was just glad that finally everyone would know the truth.

Just like he had promised you on the day you were sent away...

"Micah... Micah got it wrong." Dutch started, looking up at all of the surveying gazes around him. The leader's dark brown eyes flickered uncertainly, and Arthur could read through it – Dutch felt so ashamed and guilty for letting you go.

"'Bout what?" Bill Williamson then boomed, that usual stormy look on his face. "Bout Colm?"

Arthur's steely blue eyes swiftly glanced in Dutch's direction, and caught his mentor's gaze. There was a look in Morgan's eyes that said 'Just tell them the truth.'

Exalting a low and heavy breath, Dutch gave everyone a final burdened look.

"About (name)." he said in a collected voice, eyes down at the ground in that very moment. "Micah lied about her being a spy..."

Those who had been in belief you were a spy, looked around in a contempt and confused manner whilst those who had known it to be a lie – looked at Dutch with a defiant smugness.

"We heard it from Colm himself." Arthur stepped up then, hands lazing passively on his belt as he address the group with a look of cool clarity. "She was no spy. Just a lotta' convenient stuff happened 'round here at the same time for Micah to spin himself a real good lie."

The others seemed to be in their own personal thought bubbles now, it was clear to see in the ways they looked at the ground, or had deeply perplexed expressions on their faces.

"So where is Micah then?" Lenny had asked, his tone was quite cocky now that the truth was out there. Lenny had always admired you and thought of you as a good friend.