𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 ─ arthur morgan ✓

¦¦ 10 ¦¦

Adeline's Pov

I wake up early today, earlier than most of the camp anyway. The sun is mostly below the horizon, peeking slightly over. I the clouds were pink and the sky was orange, the river shimmering. I get up and see Arthur leaning against the tree by the river.

I smile, slipping my boots on and heading over to him. He must of heard me since the spurs on my boots clink softly as I walk.
"Mornin' Arthur," I greet, leaning in to his side.
"Mornin' princess," the simple nickname had sent the blood to my cheeks as his arm wraps tightly around me.

The sun slowly rises above the horizon, me and Arthur stood in silence. I sigh quietly, catching Arthur's attention.
"You alright?" he asks, looking down at me.
"Yeah just... stressed, I guess," I lean further in to Arthur's side. He sits down I front of the tree, pulling me down so I'm facing him.
"I'm here for you, remember that," Arthur says softly, taking my hands in to his large ones.

I nod as he puts me in his lap. The sun reflects off of Arthur's blue eyes, making them shimmer slightly.
"Come 'ere," he says, putting a hand on the back of my neck and pulling me in to kiss him. I do so, taking his hat off and putting it beside us.
"Y'know, you look good when you're angry," Arthur says, keeping his face close to mine as our lips barely touch.
"Thank you," I laugh as Arthur smiles, kissing me again.

Footsteps come towards us, but go unnoticed to me and Arthur.
"Ok I didn't need to see that today," Sean's voice comes from above us. I instantly pull away, climbing off of Arthur's lap. My cheeks flush red in embarrassment as Arthur stands up and helps me to my feet.
"Sean next time, please announce yourself," Arthur says, putting his hat back on his head.

"How was I s'pposed to know you two was doin' that?" Sean replies, quite amused.
"That's the point, you wasn't s'pposed to know," Arthur fires back as we walk back in to camp.
"Someone's angry I interrupted his fun," Sean looks at me, cocking his eyebrows playfully. I laugh and gently bump Arthur with my hip.

Sean walks off as Arthur wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me to him.
"Adeline, can I have a word please?" Hosea asks from behind us.
"Sure," I reply, "excuse me," I add, directing this towards Arthur. He nods and Hosea leads me over near the horses.
"Have you noticed how happy Arthur is around you?" Hosea starts, a small smile in his face.
"Indeed I have. What makes you ask?" I reply, pulling a cigarette out and lighting a match using the bottom of my boot.
"I've never seen him this happy before, and I've raised him for 20 years," Hosea says as I light my cigarette, putting the match out and chucking it in the ground.

"Not even been that happy with that Mary girl," Hosea adds, watching as Arthur writes in his journal.
"Who's Mary?" I ask, taking a drag of my cigarette and letting the smoke out in the opposite direction of Hosea.
"Arthur was sweet on another woman, never worked out. They were young and didn't really understand love all that well," Hosea explains. I nod, looking at Arthur who's sat writing in his journal in my tent.

"He loves you," Hosea says, a huge smile on his face as he looks down at me.
"Really?" I reply, looking back up at Hosea.
"Yeah 'course he does, it's so obvious," Hosea says, patting me in the shoulder before walking away to do something else. I throw the used cigarette butt on the ground, stomping in it.

I sigh, going to Buell and taking his heavy saddle off his back. I place it by the hitching post as I begin to brush down his soft cremello golden coat. I put the brush away, feeding Buell a bit of hay and an apple. I pat his neck and muzzle before letting him graze with the other horses.

Going over to Arthur, I sit down next to him.
"You look angry, what's wrong?" I ask, putting a hand in his knee.
"Micah, Abigail, Braithwaites," Arthur replies, speaking in a low tone and putting his hand on top of mine. I lean against Arthur, his thumb gently rubbing the top of my hand.

"You angry cowpoke?" Micah teases. Arthur looks up at him from beneath the rim of his hat, his breathing instantly becoming deeper and heavier.
"Fuck off Micah," Arthur growls.
"Make me," Micah smirks.

Arthur didn't take anymore, shooting to his feet and punching Micah square in the jaw. Micah lands a few punches on Arthur, but Arthur lands more. Before Micah can punch Arthur up anymore, I step in front of him and grab his wrist tightly. Quickly turning him around, I pin him against the tree with his arm by his chest. I pull my knife out and hold it against his throat.
"Touch Arthur again and I will happily slit your throat Micah," I threaten, pure fear on Micah's face.

"Ok alright just let me go!" Micah pleads. I do so, putting my knife away as something hard and metal hits me hard in the back of the head. I spin around again, seeing Abigail with a pan in hand. I punch her in the nose, blood covering my knuckles.
"Enough!" Dutch shouts at the top of his lungs, all of us frozen to the spot.

"What is going on?" Dutch asks, glaring at Micah and Abigail. They both point at me.
"She started it," Micah says, smirking at me.
"No I fucking didn't," I growl, going at him again. Arthur's arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back in to it chest.

"Why am I the one that always get blamed? Why am I the outcast in this gang? What did I do to deserve this?" I say, tears welling up in my eyes as I pry Arthur's arms off of me. I walk over to Buell and put my saddle on his back, tightening it and mounting up. I spur Buell in to a gallop, riding to a spot my Ma had shown me years ago.

It was a beautiful cliffside in the middle of the Heartlands. You could see the plains filled with herds of horses and many other animals. I dismount, hooking Buell's reins on the horn of the saddle. Tears escape my eyes as I look over the Heartlands. Buell nuzzles my shoulder gently. I turn to him, stroking his nose. He whinnies softly, wiping my tears with nose.

I run my fingers through Buell's mane, scratching behind his ears.
"Thank you boy," I whisper as Buell whinnies again. I sit down on the grass, Buell laying down next to me. Sitting there for the next couple of hours, I watch the sun set the ride hastily back to camp.