Born to Ride

Chapter 3: Whiplash

My eyes slowly opened, but I saw nothing but darkness. My ears were ringing so loud I couldn't hear anything, and the tightness of the ropes around my wrist was almost unbearable. When my eyes and my mind adjusted I began to try to and figure out where I was. I rolled onto my side and used all of the upper body strength that I had to pull myself into a sitting position.

It was hard to focus over the throbbing of my head wear someone had hit me. I was in a dark, musty, damp room. Judging by the smell of dirt and dust, I figured it was either a basement or a root cellar.

After only maybe 20 minutes of me sitting there, a bright light shone down on me, illuminating the whole room. And the dark figure from the Blackwater saloon made their way toward me.

"Well hello ma'am. I'm sorry about the way my associates brought you here, but I'm afraid you wouldn't have come willingly. Correct?" He said in a very proper, fast voice. I couldn't answer him with the gag in my mouth so I gave him the best scowl that I could.
He saw my face and curtly nodded.

"Didn't think so, dear." He pulled up a stool in front of me. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we? All I want from you is information. The Van Der Linde gang, where are they?"

The Van Der Linde gang? I had no idea who they were. Why would he think that I know anything about them? He gently untied the cloth from around my head so I talk.

"I have no idea who you're talking about." My voice was croaky and it hurt a little talk. He gave me an amused look and shook his head.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, so if you want to make it out of here alive ma'am, I suggest you tell me what I want to know." He said, still polite but much more demanding.

"I seriously don't know what the hell you're talking about, I can't help you." I was trying so hard to keep my cool so I wouldn't upset this strange man more than I had to.

He stood up and began to pace the floor. His arms were crossed behind his back and his head hung low. He suddenly turned on his heels to face me and punched me, square in the eye.

"Now, you're going to tell me where your brother Sean, and the rest of his no good hillbilly gang is right now or I will slit your pretty little throat."
He hissed, his face only a mere inch away from mine.

My brother? He thought Sean was my brother? What an idiot. I gritted my teeth and smashed my forehead onto his, making him reel back and cry out in pain.

"You no good little bitch." He laughed and grabbed me by the hair and threw me across the room. I landed with a loud thud and once again, all of the air in my lunges left in an instant. I laid there gasping for breath as the strange man walked closer to me. He pulled out a knife and bent down, placing the cold metal onto my neck.

"Any last words, ma-" he was cut off by a bullet going through his head. I gasped in relief, not caring who was there to save me. I felt the roped being cut off of my wrists and ankles.

"It's alright now, I've got ya." A low, raspy voice said. I was fading in and out slowly, the last thing I remember was a pair of strong arms going under me and carrying me away from that awful dungeon.

~~~~

When I woke up, I was inside a large tent that smelled like stale alcohol. I crawled to the entrance and slowly stood up, breathing in the fresh air, my face warming up in the sun.

"Oh my goodness Kate, are you alright? What happened?" It was Bellamy. I was so happy to see her. I didn't say anything and just fell into her arms. Behind her was Sean and a tall, rugged looking man who I didn't recognize. He must have been the one who saved me.

"Are you okay?" She asked gently, I shook my head. "Oh god, what did they do to you?"

"It's really hard to talk about, but they uh, they thought Sean was my brother. It was so humiliating!" I joked.

"Oh ha ha, get your jokes in ya clown." Sean huffed and walked back over to the campfire. The other man let out a deep, loud laugh. It was beautiful.

"Oh Kate, this Arthur Morgan. Sean went and got him to help him save you." Belle said, introducing us.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." He drawled.

"Please Mr. Morgan, call me Kate. Thank you for helping me back there, I would probably be dead if it wasn't for you."

"Hey now! What about me? I'm the one who went and fetched him?" Sean whined. We both ignored him.

"The pleasure is all mine, Kate. And call me Arthur." I nodded, blushing. He had such captivating blue eyes. "Now, I should get back to the other now, but I really hope we cross paths again, Kate."

"I do too, Arthur."

And just like that, he mounted his horse and was gone, galloping over the rolling plains.

We spent the rest of our second morning in the Great Plains, saying goodbye to Sean and thinking of an excuse for Belles parents for why we were gone overnight.

By 9 am we were mounted up and headed back toward New Hanover. Captain was nervous and restless until we crossed the Upper Montana River. He could sense that that something bad had happened and I wasn't feeling alright.

The ride back, was slow and peaceful. We didn't talk much, she had questions that I didn't feel like answering and she respected that. Belle really was a great friend, she always had my back no matter what the circumstances.

When we reached the ranch belle took the horses and I headed straight to my cabin. I wasn't up for anymore socializing for awhile. I had so many questions, most of them I might not ever get the answers to. What did Seans gang do or are planning to do that is so terrible? Why was that man after them? And most importantly, how the hell did I get caught in it?

My mind was racing, and I couldn't sleep. I put my cloak on and went out to the barn. When Captain saw me he nickered softly and met me at the gate to his stall. I slipped in and sat down in a pile of hay in the corner. He lowered his head and nudged my hand until I reached up and scratched his forehead, his favorite spot.

He laid down in the back of the stall and stared at me. He knew something was wrong, and he wanted to know. So I moved over and put my head down on his shoulder and curled up into him.

I felt safe here, I knew I was safe here. But still, I cried. I cried so hard I couldn't breathe. I didn't think that my kidnapping was all that bad, but I was wrong. It hurt me mentally, and I didn't think I would ever recover from it.

And I didn't.

~~~~
May 1899, a month after everything had happened. I gave up my skirts for pants, my slippers for boots. And I left Emerald Ranch.  I bought an old cabin out at Brandywine Drop, north of Annesburg and away from my past self. I took up with a small gang of 4-5 and run with them occasionally on certain jobs. But for the most part they like to stick to bounty hunting, and that is a web that I would best like to avoid if I can.

My first week at Brandywine I got a letter from Bellamy.

My dearest friend Katherine,

Something awful has happened, I'm not sure if you'll care to here it or not but I still feel that I should share it with you. There was an incident in Blackwater last week. A massive shootout and a ferry job, gone wrong. Sean and his friends, including Arthur, were tangled up in it. Some of them have been separated from the gang. Including Sean, he's been arrested by the Pinkertons and will most likely hang. Oh how I wish you were here, I can't bear it. I wish there was something I could do to help, but I know that I can't.
I hope you're doing well wherever you are now, and that this letter reaches you in good time.
I miss you with my whole heart.

Bellamy.