Stag & Doe
Summary
In a world where outlaws are no longer wanted, the past seems to be another foe. Seven years and one disappearance can hold many wounds. Even as you learn that those wounds are about to be torn right back open.
|| Masterlist ||
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AN: Hey! Finally getting something done with writing. Don't know how long this will last, but here you go!
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| 6 | Trains and Sweaty Palms
Arthur rests his foot against the track and when he felt the familiar rumble of an upcoming train he signalled for Sean to join John and Charles hiding among the trees and bushes. Arthur climbs up onto the oil wagon, huffing out breaths as he calms the nerves from the job they were about to do.
“Here she comes,” Arthur grumbles as he pulls his bandana over his face, hiding his small grin. He shoulders his repeater off his back, holding it in his left hand for the time being. The rumbling on the track vibrates the oil wagon beneath his feet as the train chugged closer and it’s lantern could now be seen in the distance.
The train rounded the corner and Arthur huffed one more breath before pumping a round into the barrel of his repeater. He stood with his head slightly down turned as the train came to a halt as the conductor saw the oil wagon. The wheels squealed on the track as it slowed to a stop, Arthur saw Charles, John and Sean begin to make their way to the passenger carriages.
“Hey what’s the big idea?!” The conductor yelled as he stepped from the train. Charles whistles behind him and when the conductor turned he was met with a shift hit in the head from Charles’ sawed off shotgun.
Arthur climbed down from the wagon and made his way up to the first passenger carriage where John was waiting.
“After you,” John gestures to the door.
Arthur kicks it open, holding his repeater for all the frightened passengers to see.
“Now! This here is a robbery, hand over your goods!” John’ hoarse shouts gets most of the passengers to begin taking off their jewels and opening their wallets.
“Put your donations into the bag and no one has to get hurt!” Arthur demands as he follows behind John. He held his repeater in sight of the frightened elites, partnered with his stoic eyes they all took their jewellery off and threw it into John’s bag. But-
“I ain’t giving you a dime, trash.” An elder man grit out as John approached him with the sack.
“Oh, seems our good friend here needs help. Mr A if you please.” John side steps just in time as Arthur brought the butt of his repeater down onto the man’s temple. The old man was dazed and blood swelled under the skin of his cheek but he got the picture and handed over his wallet.
They continued on through the carriages of frightened elites who handed over their valuables, save them being beat with the butt of Arthur’s repeater.
“You go up ahead and help Sean, I’ve got the rest.” John told Arthur as they made their way between two of the end carriages. Arthur gruffed and strode his way through the carriages with a menacing glint in his eyes. Frightened passengers clung to one another and shuffled closer to the windows as Arthur passed them – least they knew he wasn’t to be riled against.
Arthur spotted Sean just as he was approaching the baggage car.
“For Christ’s sake. You ain’t even taken a look yet?” Arthur hollered at the young Irish man. Sean waved his hand off at Arthur dismissing him as he tried to get the car door open. The man slammed the butt of his repeater into Sean’s head.
Arthur didn’t think twice as he drew his revolver and shot the attacker in the head. Then two more appeared, one through the carriage and one on top. Arthur made quick work of them and then turned back to Sean.
“This time I’ll look and you provide the cover.” Arthur grunted before he entered the baggage cart. He threw open any and all crates, suitcase, boxes, anything that would show him exactly what they were there for.
“I’ll try my best, brother, but… ah, I’m seeing double here.” Sean groans as he holds his forehead and crouches behind a crate on the open cart.
“That gives you twice the chance of hitting someone.” Arthur chuckles.
“Very funny.”
Arthur found quite a good take within the baggage cart, watches, jewellery, money and-
“Are those tennis rackets in there? Posh bastards.” Sean shook his head as he went back to keeping an eye out.
Arthur found another clip of money and some extra whiskey for himself before Sean spoke up.
“Arthur, we got a problem. There’s two arseholes on horses.”
“How many you say?” Arthur demands as he stomps out the baggage carriage and joins Sean.
“I just see a pair of them.”
“Alright, in that case, we’re fighting. Marston, Smith, get ready.” Arthur ordered as they all got behind cover, save them starting the gun fight early.
“You men come off the train now, do you hear?” The man closest shouts out and holds his rifle over his lap.
“We said you men come out now!” He echoed again after no movement from the train.
“There’s only two of you, you fools! We got a whole less to lose. Why don’t the two of you ride away? That way neither of you get killed. Goddamn liberties.” Arthur ended with a grumble.
“Um, there’s a few more of them turning up.” Sean hit Arthur’s shoulder and pointed north of the train where more men on horses with guns and lanterns that were coming out between the trees. How did they get here that fast?
“Me and my big mouth. Okay, let’s deal with them.” Arthur grunts. All four men grip their revolvers and rifles, ready to fight their way out of this. Then one of the men were dragged from his horse and his screams echoed into the night.
“Sir, behind us!” Another man shouted as multiple horses became uneasy and started stomping at the ground and shaking their heads.
Another man was dragged off his horse with hoarse screams that disappeared into the darkness of the trees. The men turned to start firing aimlessly into the woods as their horses bucked and whined in fright.
John, Charles and Sean all looked at one another as Arthur watched with curiosity about the scene unfolding upon them. Then some of the men turned back to them and the shoot out began.
Arthur fired on anything that moved, the others matching his efforts. Sean was shouting his mouth off at the law, insulting them and their mothers. Arthur’s ears were ringing with the shots that banged out of the barrels of their guns. The adrenaline ran through his body and pulsed him full of enough confidence to stand and fire four shots in succession and hit each target above the waist and watched them fall.
“Get on your horses! Gotta get outta here!” Arthur hollered over the gunfire. The other three men all heard him as they started whistling for their horses and backing off from the carriage. Arthur was the last one to leave, but it was violently rocked before he hopped down. Did someone just run their horse into the train?!
Arthur climbed up into the saddle of his horse and took off behind the others. Their horses pounded and galloped away from the train, Arthur could still hear some terrified screams as they fled.
*
Arthur had decided to stay near camp for the next two of days, heading out only to hunt or fish to keep the food supplies up. After the train job the four men who went hadn’t spoken another word about it other than it was successful. They didn’t know what was killing the law men but they were all glad that it was on their side. Arthur didn’t want to put too much thought into it – but what had been out there with them?
Then Sunday rolled around and he remembered the agreement he had made with Camille. So now he sat in the saloon in Valentine waiting to finally get some answers on her disappearance from the gang.
But Arthur wasn’t holding onto to much hope in getting all the answers. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know some, especially finding out why she was okay with just leaving him.
He nursed a beer at the bar, leaning on his elbows against the counter, he kept his head down – especially after the bartender had asked him for no more trouble after the whole Tommy business. And the crazy night that he had with Lenny. He really needs to give up the crazy nights.
A few patrons came and went from the saloon, some men got their haircut by the barber in the corner by the stairs; but there was still no sign of Camille. Would she even turn up? Arthur was holding out hope on a woman who periodically proved that she wasn’t always going to stay. Or that she would want him…
He was a fool for even believing that she could want to be with him.
“Drinking without me already?”
Arthur turns as the saloon doors swing close behind Camille. She hadn’t worn her hat today and he inhaled at the sharp glint in her eyes and the soft smirk on her lips.
“Reckoned you weren’t comin’.” Arthur responds before swigging the rest of the beer in the bottle.
Camille huffs as she joins him at the bar and leans on her left elbow and looks up at Arthur through her lashes.
“Can I butter you up enough to join me in private?” Camille asks. Arthur looked down at her with a raised brow. Was she serious?
“Not want a drink?” Arthur clears his throat.
“I just want to cut right to the chase. Left you high and dry enough.” Camille’s surly tone disappears as she leans into Arthur with her lips close to his ear.
“Too many eyes and ears around, especially after your little job.” She pulls away and trails her hand along his arm as she heads towards the backrooms.
She was putting on a show for the other men in the saloon, Arthur almost wanted to punch the man that leered at her as she walked past him. He straightened up and followed behind Camille.
He watched her enter the room and took a deep inhale through his nose before following in after her. She was facing away from him as he closed the door but the moment it was shut she span on him.
“Sit on the edge of the bed.” She demands.
Arthur was about to argue before she reached up and started unbuttoning her blouse.
“Cami what’re-”
“Just sit on the bed, Arthur.” Cami points at the spot on the bed that she wanted Arthur to go. Arthur felt the heat in his neck but did as Cami asked. He fell back onto the bed and rubbed his hands on his thighs; his palms sweating from the sudden heat from the room and how close he was to an undressing Camille. She tugged her blouse down her left shoulder, exposing the smooth skin underneath and then messed her hair up a little at the back of her head.
Then she sat on his lap.
“Don’t look so startled, not the first time I’ve done this.” Cami teased as she took hold of his limp wrists and positioned them on her waist and back. He hears his own heart beating in his ears, drumming away the reality of Camille forcing him to hold her like he had once before. Camille lifted his hat off his head and placed it beside them on the bed before interlocking her hands around the back of his neck. His heart felt about ready to explode as her fingertips toyed with the hairs at the nape of his neck.
“Something on your mind, cowboy?” Camille tilted her head to catch his eyes.
“Why you doin’ this Cami?” Arthur sounded pathetic to his own ears, his voice small and almost too quiet. How could she make him feel like this?
“Better we be caught like this, less time to explain.” Cami glanced back at the door. Arthur moved his hand up her spine causing her to look back at him.
“Caught by who? You in trouble?” He let his eyes wander slowly from her face down to the curve of her throat.
“Nothing for you to be worried about. How’d your job go? Have anything to do with that train I heard about?” How’d she find out so fast?
“Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.” Arthur denied with indifference. His eyes straying from her throat down to her collarbone.
“Right. But that’s not why we’re here.” Camille used her index finger under Arthur’s chin to guide him back to her. Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat and took in the fire behind Camille’s eyes.
“Where you been?” Arthur asked. Cami hesitated answering, her hands uncurling from his hair and coming to sit on his chest before she toyed with the buttons of his shirt.
“Away. I know how I… left was unorthodox, but it was for the better.” Camille started to unbutton Arthur’s shirt and he didn’t see sense in stopping her. He wanted to feel her, wanted to know this was real.
“Leaving me?” Arthur watched her jaw tense and tick before she looked him in the eyes.
“Was the hardest choice I’ve ever made.” Cami paused her unbuttoning, her fingers tentatively tracing over the hair that lined Arthur’s chest.
“Yet you still made it.” Arthur took a deep breath and Camille flattened her palm against the middle of his rib cage.
“I can’t explain why right now.” Camille sighed, a ghost of an expression crossed her brow before she tilts her head down. Arthur didn’t want to lose the chance at knowing – perhaps even understand – everything about the enigma that was Camille. He used his index finger under her chin to raise her gaze back to his own eyes.
“Why not Camille? Isn’t the whole point of this?” He traced his thumb over her bottom lip, a heat pooling into his stomach he hadn’t felt for a long time as Camille shivered.
“Arthur I-”
A man bursts into the room and Arthur aims his gun at him. Camille latched to him and hid her face in the space between his neck and shoulder.
“Whoa! Sorry mister, thought I saw an old friend come in here.” The man held his hands up half arsedly and Arthur caught the glance he sent Camille’s way.
“Well you didn’t, so get lost.” Arthur growled.
The man chuckled as he left the room and closed the door behind him. Arthur slowly lowered his gun back into its holster and then turned back to Camille – who had gone rigid.
“You know that fella?” Arthur asked, a cautious hand trailing down Camille’s spine. Another shiver, but this one was followed by a muffled moan.
