Chapter 27

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I woke as early in the morning as ever, taking some bread and cheese from Reneé's food wagon for some breakfast. I had roused much earlier than the rest of the gang, so I was always the one to put the coffee on and light the Campfires.

I took a seat at one of the wooden tables we had set up, placing the rag with bread and cheese in on the table - alongside my mug of Coffee.

Once I had a moment to think, I did just so. Thinking about the trials and tribulations I'd gone through. The image of a scrawny Irish girl, huddled in a cave with her loyal steed conjured itself in my head - I smiled at my past self, she was fierce but naive and unknowing of the world around her. I also wondered of what Arthur had become, I'd seen very little of him in the last few years. My memory could only show me the handsome young man I'd met three years ago when I had to abandon my Ranch. We'd all changed, some more than others.

"You okay, Sweetheart?" Charles asked as he took a seat next to me, setting his coffee down on the table too.
"Of course," I smiled fondly. "And have somethin' to eat for goodness sakes!" I ordered, only out of concern for his health, of course. I grinned wider once Charles stood up and went to get himself something to eat.

He sat back down with his breakfast and started tucking in.
"So where might you be takin' me today?" I asked, following what he'd asked me last night.
"I was thinking we could find somewhere real secluded on the plains and camp out for the night" He told me. I smiled, once again, thinking about that time many years ago - when Charles took me out for the exact same thing.
"I can remember us doing that exact thing, years ago" I reminisced.
"So we did..."
"Lets hope it'll be jus' as memorable" I giggled.
"Oh, I assure that it will be".

Once everyone else was awake, ready and able for the day ahead - Charles and I took off onto the great plains of West Elizabeth.

The plains were desolate, apart from the odd carriage carrying a few rich-men and aristocrats. Brown trees and beige sands decorated the horizon, contrasted by the vibrant blue sky above us.
"Where should we set up camp? Your choice."

"I think," I thought for a moment, scanning the area for contenders."over there" I pointed to a spot in a valley where the deer were grazing.
We trotted over, hitching our horses beside a tree.

We wordlessly began to unload our horses so to make way for us to start setting up our mini-camp. I pitched the small tent, while Charles chopped firewood. I laid out the bedrolls, while Charles started the campfire. Then, Charles and I went out hunting. One whitetail deer would suffice for the both of us.

We trekked out onto the plains, the vast desert land seemed far from the dense forests we were used to.
"Whose shot is it?" Charles asked, sending a smirk in my general direction.

"I think it should be Ladies first" I remarked, cheekily. Sending a smirk in return.

"Well then, after you ma'am" Charles laughed, heartily. Bowing in jest.
I then crouched down to the sandy earth, looking for a suitable prey. My eyes laid on a whitetail doe, an elderly one by the looks. I took out my bow and drew an arrow back on the string, before releasing it to send it hurling towards the deer's neck, where the arrow embedded itself. All the surrounding animals fled as the deer fell onto the ground. Charles strutted over to the animal and lifted it up and over his shoulder, carrying it over to our camp so we could prepare it.

Charles and myself took separate jobs when preparing deer, he skinned and gutted the Animal, whereas I took pride in preparing it for eating. I couldn't cook like Renee could, but I could cook to keep a belly full - and my cooking always seemed to satisfy Charles.

Once the deer was skinned, gutted, and prepared for cooking, I gathered together the small supply of vegetables that I'd packed and started stewing them in a pot over the fire. Charles sliced and cubed the venison for me with his hunting knife.

I threw the cubed meat into the pot with the stewed vegetables and added a handful of Oregano and a couple drops of Tabasco sauce - to add some flavour. Satisfied with my work, I turned around - only to be met with Charles's clothed chest. He chuckled and pulled his arms around my back and looked down at my blushing face. Charles slowly retracted his arms and took hold of my hand, pulling me over to where we had set up a little camp area. We sat down on the logs outside of the tent.

"Close your eyes and hold your hands out" He asked, I did so and closed my eyes, holding my palm out to him. I felt a small, yet still weighted for its size, object being placed onto my palm. "Open your eyes" Charles told me. I opened my eyes, like he said to see a ring, turquoise wound into the wooden body of it - something I recognized as a Native American ring. I looked to my partner, casting a curious glance at him. I chuckled softly, trying to translate my confusion to him too. "I brought you here to ask a question, and I know it's not how you'd want to do it but - Would you allow me to become your Husband?"

I looked at Charles in bewilderment, of course, he didn't need to ask me that question - the answer was obvious. I just needed to know one thing, how would we be married?
"Charles... How? No priest would-"

"We don't need a priest, Rains Fall - the chief at the reservation said he'd marry us - I just want to know if that would be good enough for you" He explained with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He knew I was a stubborn woman and I knew he was a stubborn man, and yet I still had to give in.

"Yes, O'Course its good enough for me" I let a breathy laugh out, grinning ear to ear. "Now, shut up and give your fiancée a kiss" I giggled through watery eyes of joy. Charles smiled wider than I'd ever seen, and pressed a sweet, tender kiss to my lips - slipping the ring onto my left ring finger, and smiling into the kiss with Glee.

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