The Empress & The Gunslinger

Chapter 30 - The Empress & The Gunslinger

John had stuck to his word and kept Emily safe. A few years had gone by since Arthur had passed and Emily gave birth to a healthy baby boy who was now 2 years old, she called him Leo Arthur Morgan. Emily was also no longer known as Kaldwin, she was now going by the name of Emily Morgan. She was living on John's ranch that he had built for his family. They were very welcoming and he was very protective of both Emily and Leo because that was a promise he had made to Arthur. Everyday they would ride to Arthur's grave placing flowers on his grave and every night Emily would pray that Arthur came back to her. It didn't seem real that he was gone and she was still here but she was grateful to have some memory of him - their son.

It had been another peaceful day on the ranch, John working on the ranch with Jack, Abigail cooking or attempting to cook some dinner for everyone. Emily was in her room and Leo was fast asleep on her bed. She pulled out Arthur's satchel and opened up his journal, she would read his journal on a daily basis, he had wrote several pages about her and how much of an impact she had on his life. It would always bring tears to her eyes reading through it. She was midway through reading his journal when she hears Abigail calling on everyone that dinner was ready. Emily put Arthur's journal away and put his satchel away in a safe place along with his guns and knife. The only thing she didn't have was his hat. She wanted to bury him with that. She checked her hair in the mirror hanging on her wall and walked over to her bed where she picked up Leo and unfortunately woke him up. He wasn't much of a cryer so he didn't scream the ranch down when she woke him. She left her room with Leo in her arms and made her way to the dinning table. Abigail had cooked up a feast. She took her seat at the table and placed Leo in a chair next to her. John and Jack soon came in and took their seats at the table. Abigail smiling at everyone "Well tuck in and enjoy" she said. Without hesitation they all dug into the food placed on the table.

Once they had all finished there food they sat around the table laughing with one another just like ordinary people trying to survive and live a normal life. From no where the back of Emily's hand began to burn, it hadn't done this for years. The burning sensation quickly took away the smile on her face and she looked down at her hand. All of a sudden she heard John call out "Who the hell is this?" Emily raised her head to find The Outsider standing by the table. "Dont!" Emily called out to John warning him not to hurt him. Emily got to her feet and walked around the table towards him.
"What are you doing here after all of these years?" She asked him
The Outsider smiled at Emily "Do you think I don't listen to your prayers?"
Emily looked at him confused "Why would you do that?"
"Because I can sometimes help you" he grinned.
Emily couldn't understand where he was going with this. "And you can raise the dead!" She joked.
The Outsider laughed at her "Go Outside and find out for yourself"
Emily frowned at him "What?"
"Go outside... you can thank me later" he said and within the blink of an eye The Outsider vanished. Emily turned to look at John and Abigail.
"Let's go outside" John urged as he got to his feet. Abigail grabbed Leo and they all made their way outside. As they walked out the door Emily looked in front of her but she couldn't see anything.
"Oh my god" Abigail said as she looked to her left towards a tree. John and Emily both quickly turned their heads to the left to see a man standing against the tree.
"Is it?" John questioned as he looked on in disbelief.
Emily didn't speak, she cautiously made her way over to the tree. As she approached the man, she reached out and grabbed his hat... Arthur's gamblers hat and removed it from the mans head. The man slowly raised his head and grinned widely at her.
"Did you miss me Mrs Morgan?"
Emily broke down in tears as the man was Arthur. He was alive and he was breathing and most of all he was healthy.
"This isn't real... your not real" she said
Arthur laughed and placed his hands around her waist "I am very much real thanks to your spooky friend"
Emily smiled through her tears and without hesitation she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard keeping that passion between the kiss.
Abigail and John ran over to the pair with Jack and Leo in complete shock that Arthur was alive. As they approached Emily and Arthur, John couldn't believe he was seeing Arthur alive.
"Arthur your..."
Arthur smiled and gave John a hug. "I'm alive"
"Your a dead man walking" John joked
Arthur laughed and pulled away from their embrace. Abigail passed Leo over to Emily. Arthur turned to look at Emily and smiled
"Is that..."
Emily smiled and nodded her head "This is our son, Leo Arthur Morgan"
Arthur's smile was stretched across his face as he took his son from Emily and held him in his arms for the first time. "Daddy's got you son" he said as he held him close against his body. Everyone was still in complete shock to find Arthur alive after 2 years of him being buried under ground. It all seemed to good to be true.
Arthur looked back at Emily and pulled her in so that he was hugging both her and their son.
"Emily... I've got a question for you" he said as he looked down at her.
Emily moved her head away from his chest and looked up at him "Yeah..."
Arthur looked at John and Abigail then back at Emily "How about you become Mrs Morgan officially?"
Emily was shocked and didn't know what to say. She looked at him with her eyes widened. "Are you asking me to marry you?"
Arthur laughed "Yes, Emily Drexel Lela Kaldwin will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?"
Emily's eyes began to fill up with tears again, without hesitation she nodded her head "Yes" she mumbled in her tears. Arthur bent down slightly to kiss her whilst holding his son.
"I've got a second chance at life, I have a chance to do right and have a family. From this day on I swear to protect you both with my life and promise to give you the world..."
"...Without killing or robbing folk?" John butted in
Arthur laughed a little "...yes without robbing or killing folk, I promise to give you both the world for as long as I live"

As the sun began to set they all stood by this tree happy, happy than they've ever been for the first time in 2 years. John had his family back, a wife and son who he was bonding with and Emily had Arthur back and a son to him which she no longer had to raise on her own. She did wonder how he was brought back to life but right at that moment by the sunset and the tree she didn't want to know she was just happy to have the man she loved back and finally have peace and quiet.

Dutch, Micah and even death itself was not enough to keep the empress away from the gunslinger.