♛
"I—I'm pregnant.. with Arthur's baby"
Silence.
Anastasia holds her breath despite the persistent pounding of her heart beating a tattoo against her chest. She swallows nervously, holding her small hands before herself, clasped together as they instantly clam with sweat.
The three men don't say a word either. Of course Hosea knew her and Arthur had been seeing each other secretly ever since the night they spent in strawberry. But even he stands surprised by the girls revelation.
Arthur stands between the other two men, rigid, with his mouth open in shock as he processes the new information. Anastasia watches him and only him, more worried than anything at what he will say rather than her father. What if Arthur leaves like John had? He wouldn't do that would he? The thought crosses her mind.
"Anastasia—" Arthur begins breathlessly but is cut off by the familiar sound of metal emerging from its leather bound sheath.
Dutch clutches his revolver with a dark, ominous, look in his brown eyes. The end of the barrel pointed in Arthur's direction.
"Daddy!" Anastasia snaps out of her silence.
"Dutch.." Hosea holds his hands up, his voice sounding almost chastising and unsurprised by the other mans actions, "let's just be rational here."
Arthur holds his breath, looking at Dutch almost apologetically and especially guilty.
The dark haired leader stands as still as a statue, gun still pointed at Arthur. Arthur's eyes linger from Dutches to the revolver. He notices the older mans pointer finger doesn't doesn't move to the trigger, all four remaining on the handle.
Through clenched teeth, very slowly, Dutch finally speaks,
"Someone explain.."
"Daddy.." Anastasia steps towards Arthur, taking his arm.
Arthur nervously looks down to her, the news itself still being very shocking, let alone the cattlemen revolver in his view.
"I love him.. we've been seeing each other for some time.. and well.. I believe I'm with child" she purses her lips, watching her father and waiting for him to reply.
Dutch continues to glare at Arthur, although his finger still remaining on the handle. A moment passes where nobody speaks before he finally makes a noise that comes out similar to a bears growl. He holsters the gun and turns away, grumbling to himself as he stalks toward his tent on a warpath.
"He'll get over it" Hosea speaks first, pursing his lips to keep the smile from emerging.
He lets a smirk past as he walks by the pair, kissing Anastasia on the cheek and leaving the two alone to talk. His way of showing his immediate support of whatever is to come of this news and their future.
Arthur finally breathes out, not realizing he was holding his breath. He turns to the small blonde who looks up at him nervously.
"Anastasia— I— are you—" he searches her expression, as if looking for immediate answers to be written on her face for him, "how do you know?"
