𝗖𝗨𝗣𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗬 ➳ 𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟮

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏.

The streets of Valentine were dimly lit, the faint light of dying lanterns were the only guidance through the muddy streets that travellers and locals had to watch their step. The streets themselves were almost completely scarce as night had fallen, the place of life being the Saloon. A place where one went to drown their sorrows, celebrate life or get some action.

Eleanor Miller pushed through the swinging doors of the night life, instantly engulfed by the stench of burning cigarettes and alcohol, both smells she had become well acquainted with. The Saloon was buzzing with life, the saloon girls making the most of it and approaching potential customers to make a living for themselves. Eleanor on the other hand would prefer to rob for her money, it was more rewarding in a way. Perhaps it was because she didn't have to sell herself to a man in order to survive and make a living. She pitied the women. 

Eleanor made her way to the bar, sliding a coin over the counter as she waited for the barkeep. The bar was almost completely full, on man barely standing. She watched on as the barkeep suggested for the man to leave but he slurred:

"I'm fine, honest to god!" Before being led out by an onlooker who felt sorry for the drunken fool. It's not normal for someone to get drunk like that without having a reason to. What was so wrong in that poor fool's life?

"What can I get you?" The barkeep sighed as he took her coin. The man looked exhausted, she knew it would only worsen as the night went on.

"Anything you've got, I don't mind too much," Eleanor responded. The barkeep nodded, turning his back to her as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the back shelf. He poured a shot glass for her. As he was about to leave, Eleanor slid a twenty dollar bill to him. "I'll take the bottle." The barkeep didn't argue, he took the money with an eager eye and left her to herself. Eleanor grabbed the shot glass and threw back her head as she drunk the burning liquor. 

"I heard the Auction yard has been making quite a dollar lately," The man beside her spoke. Eleanor looked at him for a brief second before looking back at the bottle as she grabbed it, pouring herself another glass.

"That so?" Another man replied. The man hummed in response.

"Yep. Folk all over the state have been coming to join in on the auctions lately, paying top dollar for some shit smellin' sheep and swine!" He chuckled. "Personally I'm more of a cattle guy, perhaps that's why I don't see the reasoning in it. But, they've been making some good cash. Heard the bank is overflowing with money currently."

"They should think about using it to fix this shit hole up," the other man grunted in response. He paused as he took a swig from his beer bottle. Eleanor remained quiet, pretending to be fixed on the liquor as she listened. "I'm sick of having to buy a new pair of boots every week because of this mud."

"Tell me about it," the other man agreed. "I heard a lot of the funds are being moved into the Bank tonight, right now as we speak," he informed. "The money will be all settled by tomorrow."

"You speak as if money has a mind of it's own," the other man snorted. The other man laughed in response.

"Guess I kind of am. Must be the drink," he palmed the blame on to the bottle that sat on the counter before him. Eleanor bit the inside of her mouth as she thought hard. The Valentine Bank has money, money she needs to survive. That money could provide her weeks of food and she would be able to buy some new clothes, perhaps some new tack for her grey Dutch Warmblood, Seyfert. Hearing enough, Eleanor ditched the shot glass and took the bottle, taking a final swig before pushing herself off of the bar. She took the bottle with her, pushing the cork back in before leaving the Saloon. She left through the swinging doors, heading left towards the general store, which Seyfert was hitched outside of. She was taken by surprise when firm hands grabbed her shoulders from behind, pulling her into the alleyway. She found herself slammed up against the Saloon wall, staring into the eyes of the man raving on about the money. He held the pointy end of his knife against her throat, applying pressure. To her disappointment during the commotion she had dropped her bottle, the fine whiskey bottle completely shattering as it hit the wooden floorboards that provided pathways for folk. She grunted in annoyance as she stared at the man, holding her gloved hands up in defeat.

"I know you was listenin' to my conversation, lady," The man hissed. His breath was stale of alcohol, he was clearly drunk. "And I know who you are too. Very bold of you to be walking around thinking no one will know who you are."

"I didn't hear a word you said," Eleanor informed him calmly. She stared at the knife in his hand. "You're drunk friend."

"I ain't your friend," he scolded in annoyance. "I'm going to take you in right now and get the price on your head."

"Like hell you are," she hissed at him. With one hand she quickly shoved his armed hand away, the pointy end cutting her lightly and with her free hand she punched him in the face. He grunted, stumbling back from the hit. Eleanor kicked the knife away before grabbing him by the back of his neck and running him towards the barrel of water. With a large splash she shoved the man into the water, holding him down into the murky, mud-laced liquid. She watched as his hands squirmed, his screams deafened by the water. His hands managed to grab around her wrists but it wasn't enough to stop her. She pulled him out, the man spluttering about as his face was drenched and hair hung over his face, his eyes wide in horror. She turned him to her, inching her face close to his as she lowered her voice. "If you so much as whisper a word to anyone that you saw me, I will find you and next time you won't be coming out of that barrel alive," she warned. The man heaved for air, she had almost killed the drunken idiot. "Got it?" The man nodded quickly in response, terrified for his life.

"I-I-I never saw you!" He answered. Eleanor grinned, nodding at him before shoving the fool away from her. She picked up the knife and dropped it in the barrel so he wouldn't try anything as she walked away. The man sunk to the ground, leaning against the wall of the Saloon as he recovered from his near death experience. This time, Eleanor made is successfully to her horse, Seyfret greeting her with a bump of the nose. She petted the noble horse before looking over her shoulder at the shattered bottle. 

"That was a good bottle, Seyfret," she muttered in annoyance before gathering the reins from the hitching post and putting her foot in the stirrup. She pulled herself up in the saddle, shifting the reins to one hand as she brought her other up to her neck. She placed a finger against the cut, drawing it away and tilting her finger towards the lantern. A small speck of blood gleamed in the light, indicating the cut was small but enough to cause her to bleed. With ease she turned the horse away from the post to return to her camp up on Citadel Rock for the night.

The new day was welcomed to the sound of songbirds singing as they flew over Eleanor's camp. The woman woke up to a blue sky, haunted with dark clouds that threatened to spill. Eleanor sat up, rubbing her face with a hand. She crawled out of her tent, looking around to see Seyfret grazing nearby. His saddle rested by the fire, allowing him to rest properly. 

"How about a robbery today, Seyfret?" She called out to the horse as she stood up, stretching her limbs. The horse ignored her, grazing away on the lush grass. Eleanor took in the view, Citadel Rock was just south from Valentine, allowing her to have a perfect view of the town. If she walked further along the rock, she would have a view of the Heartlands where the Heartland Oil Fields was located, owned by Leviticus Cornwall. That man owned almost every business that was destroying the open country and turning it into an industrialised hell. 

Eleanor sat down next to her saddle by the campfire, grabbing a pencil and a small journal from the saddlebag. She began scrabbling away, planning out how she would attempt the robbery. She noted down that there would likely be two guards instead of one due to the fact that there is a large amount of funds in the back of the Bank. To take them out she would have to be quick and hope that she wouldn't get shot. She would strike when numbers in the bank were little so she wouldn't have more hostages which would attract more lawmen, also it would be easier to move to each guard without a bystander getting in her way. She would then tie both guards up after stripping them of their weapons before moving on to the Bank Teller who would let her in to avoid anyone from getting hurt. After getting the money Eleanor will take the back door which is where she will have Seyfret waiting, making the getaway quick and easy. 

"We'll have to move camp after this, it will cause a lot of attention," Eleanor informed the horse out loud, like the horse cared. Seyfret was happy anywhere as long as there was nice grass to feed on. Eleanor was convinced she owned a pig and not a horse half the time. She closed the book before tucking it away back in the saddle bag before retrieving a convincing outfit from her tent.