𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 ♦ 𝐑𝐃𝐑

🇨​🇭​🇦​🇵​🇹​🇪​🇷​ 2

Selina and I had fallen asleep on the trip, about midway, just needed to forget about everything for a little bit. That was the nice thing about train rides, you could sleep and no one could judge you. Given the day we've had, we could use all the sleep we could get right about now, no telling what was going to happen the next day, the next week, the next month honestly. Who really knew that this point.
I'm awoken from my slumber given the trains brakes squealing in preparation to stop. Selina's head is upon shoulder as I'm looking over, she's always in her purest form when she's asleep and she's so damn beautiful in a sense and she always will be. Even given the situation, she'll never have an altered image. I sigh deeply before I yawn and reach over, my hand upon her thigh as I'm gently squeezing it. Causing her to wake up with no issue, she directs her eyes outside before she runs her hands over her face. "When we get off this train, don't judge me, but I'm feelin' a little sick. Goddamn, baby." She mutters before I nod my head in an understanding manner, rubbing her back for the moment. When the train comes to a halt, we both get out before Selina is indeed, having her moment of sickness. Least when she was pregnant with Sadie she wasn't getting as sick as she currently was, it wasn't long thankfully but I could tell it had her shaken up a little bit. She comes back from the side area near the train station, wiping the corner of her mouth as her green hues connect with mine. "You alright, darlin'?" I question before she sighs deeply, a slight shrug rolling through her shoulders, she seems to be trying to keep herself from having to do it again. "I'm as alright as I can be, Ash. Let's see where John is at." God, it had been years since John and I had connected, it was crazy thinking that he was really my only source left from the old gang. Only source I could trust that was.

We take the short walk to the nearby bar before we're greeted by a man with a beard, looks like he's a bit drunk out of his mind and he's got woman all around him, prostitutes we're assuming. "Oh! Mr. Sanders, Ms. Hinton! Over here!" Really couldn't miss him even if we wanted to if I was honest. "Jake we're assumin'?" I question as I hold my hand out to him and he quickly grabs my hand with a loud laugh passing his lips as he gives it a firm shake. "That I am! Here to escort you guys up to Fort Mercer. Ya know, I just saw that John Marston guy. Maybe we'll see him up there too! Probably fuckin' dead, ain't no mercy come from the Williamson gang." Selina raises her brows as if she's confused for the moment. Selina was more familiar with the New Austin area then I ever would be.
"Fort Mercer? That's a death sentence."
"Well... Ms. Hinton---"
"It's Mrs. Sanders... Who told you to refer to me by my maiden name?"
"No offense, Ms. Hinton... I was told by those government men, the ones who got you two into this mess... Said not to give you the satisfaction of being referred to as the wife of Mr. Sanders here."
"They would... Assuming I'm going to be hearing my maiden name a lot more these days."
"Hey, basically means you're not married!" Jake muses as he takes Selina's hand for the moment, making my blood begin to boil. She quickly snatches her hand from him. "The ring on my finger says otherwise... Please, just take us to Fort Mercer."

I was content with Selina seeing to it that Jake didn't hit on her as much as I knew he was intending to. "Right! Well, I have you both a pair of strong male horses out here. Give them a pleasant ride up there to maybe meet John."
"Did Mr. Marston give you any sort of information we should know about?" I ask as we're being lead outside, my eyes falling upon the beautiful Hungarian Half Bred and the Kentucky Saddler Jake has before us. "No sir, not a talkative man. Barely had anything to say other than he was here to kill Bill Williamson and get his family back."
"He would."
I help Selina upon the Kentucky Saddler before getting upon the Hungarian Half Bred. Needed to think of some new names for these horses.
The ride is pretty silent, till we get across the train tracks and suddenly, Jake has more to say.
"So! You two are outlaws huh?"
"Used to be... We was a changed couple till the government came for us."
"Ain't no one ever changed, Asher. You both are well known 'round these parts. The infamous couple, Selina Hinton and Asher Sanders. Star crossed lovers or whatever the hell that is!"
"How did our names even bother to travel this far, we was nothin' but a decent couple with our children."
"Well, to be fair, Mr. Sanders, you did aid in killin' one of your former gang members back in the day. Both apart of the Dutch's Gang up in West Elizabeth and beyond. Doesn't matter how long ago it was... Just know you two were a very interestin' couple."

I shake my head before my eyes direct over to Selina, she looks a bit upset. Jake of course follows my eyes as he laughs. "What's the matter with you, Selina? Seem real quiet and little shaken."
"Do you know my father? Antonio Hinton? Used to... Used to be an outlaw as well?"

Well, this was news to me, hearing that Selina had an outlaw for a dad. Maybe that's what drew her to me. I can't come to express how odd that did make me feel.
"Deadweight Hinton?"
"Sure... Whatever he was called?"
"Shit! That's your father? Should've thought with the last name... God, Antonio... he hasn't been down to Armadillo in a while."
She looks disappointed by that answer and I guess in a sense, I did understand why Selina was a little distressed by the news of us being outlaws traveling down this far. Didn't talk much on her father, didn't know if that was a tough subject, seemed a little sensitive on it though. Wouldn't wanna push it further than it already did seem like it was. "Ya know why they called your father in law 'Deadweight Hinton', Asher?"
But leave it to Jake to keep on going with it. "No, why?"
"Rumor had it that he was so quick with his gun back in the day, you'd just go deadweight once he shot you. Always in the head, always done and out. Never mattered much. Literally the people was dead before the dual or gunfight began."
Well, obviously this would be a story I'd touch on in the future, right now, just didn't seem like a great time to ask about the all great Antonio Hinton. The man who was the father of my wife and apparently a well known former outlaw. Couldn't imagine he was very friendly... Then again... It also didn't seem like Selina had seen him in a while. Maybe that's why she didn't mention him much either. Just her mother, Rose, that was it and she was remarried to that damn rich businessman, Russell.

Well, with that over and done, Jake seems to quiet down as we're riding up the turning hill, soon, he does have more to question us on. "You guys have kids I've heard! How many?"
"Three--- And a half." I reply before he looks over at me confused. "Half? One dead?"
"God no! Selina... She's... with child unfortunately." I didn't wanna have to say it like that, but that's how we both was feeling about this kid. A terrible mistake right now.
"Is you now? Congratulations!" Selina shakes her head with a roll of her eyes.
"Last thing I'd like to hear right now!"
"Well pardon me, Miss. Shit is just normal to say."
"Is it? See, Jake, I'd rather hear that if I wasn't out here risking my life again while trying to protect one inside me. Here I am though... Why don't you save words like that for a moment where I'm not already thinking on pulling my pistol? I can barely stand you talkin' anymore."

My wife was rarely a hostile woman. Jake had to have pushed her buttons way too much now and thus, he got the dog to bite him back. He looks a little surprised but does shut his trap for the remainder of the ride. We come to find a pile of blood upon the ground, looks as if John was here... I hop off my horse before Jake clears his throat. "Well, this is where I leave you two. Enjoy your trip 'round New Austin. Sure it will be the best ever." He laughs now before he turns his horse and is off back down the trail. Selina is off her horse as well. We both look at one another as I rise from my crouched position, eying down the Fort before us. I didn't have much to say right now... Neither did she. We just knew we was staring death in the face.