Outlaws - An American Youth - [Charles Smith x OC]

Chapter 26 - The King's son

2 songs in this chapter. The first one, I found it randomly and it broke my heart, I had to include it in my text.

The 2nd one is a youtube find, I felt like the sound was good to go with this part. Then, I read the translation of it and I lost my mind because it's SO them. So I let you judge, I link it in the comment ! Have a good read.

--------------

"♫ There are very few of them;

That with us still remain.

Day after day, they're dropping off;

They are going one by one.

Our clan is fast decreasing;

But brother we are failing;

Our race is almost run.

To know those days are passed and gone;

To never come again.

And now, our West, goodbye."

Two tears ran quietly down my cheeks as I listened to Pearson sing. It was a song about war, but it stuck horribly to our history. Arthur joined him, singing in turn the words he knew. When the last note sounds, I walked away. I did not want them to see my confusion. But of course, nothing had escaped the eye of Arthur, who joined me. I reassured him as best I could.

"I'm fine, don't worry for me Arthur.

- I need to go. Charles is waiting for me at the reservation. Are you sure you're ok?

- Yes. I'm coming with you.

- Anna, I don't know.

- It wasn't a question."

He didn't try to argue, seeing my determination. Without further ado, we set off. Very quickly, I broached the subject which had been on everyone's lips since the day before.

"So... Strauss?

- I should have kicked him out long before. Stealing from men like Cornwall is one thing, but using people's despair... We should never have accepted that."

I agreed. I had seen the devastation caused by such loan sharks. I had turned a blind eye to this activity of my companions, knowing only too well the torments they had brought to the Dowes. It was a nice Valentine family, upright and honest, always ready to help their neighbors, when themselves had nothing. They did not deserve such a life.

As we advanced in the undergrowth of the region, a thought kept running through my mind. I didn't know whether to tell Arthur about it or not. After observing the cloudy sky, I finally dared.

"They're going to flee. Pearson, Uncle... Mary-Beth.

- What?

- They came to tell us, to Tilly and to me. They can't take these tensions anymore. They want to leave.

- You should do the same." He said after a moment of reflection.

"To go where? To do what?

- There's this thing in Chicago, I wanted to tell you about it, it's/

-No Arthur. I don't even want to hear about it. I'm not leaving."

I was deluding myself. I still wanted to believe that everything could work out. Again, he did not insist on my categorical tone, preferring to change the subject. The sad news continued to fall.