Butterfly

New Recruits

June 1888

Elizabeth happily hummed to herself as she stood by the creek near their camp.

They moved only a few weeks ago towards Illinois. She isn't quite sure what they are running from, but she knows it isn't good. The last time they moved, it was because of another gang. A small one, even smaller than them.

It no longer fazed Elizabeth. She knows the life the gang lives.

They had a new member several months ago, but he left right after. He was a drifter named Killian. He was nice, but he wasn't after the outlaw life. He wanted to take Elizabeth with him, saying it wasn't a life for a child but she refused and started hiding from him a week before he left.

Arthur isn't around. He has been gone for a week now. He usually leaves to visit Isaac and Eliza for a few days, maybe even a few weeks. Elizabeth doesn't mind. The man always brings back gifts from Eliza. One time, the lady even made Elizabeth a little satchel, one that matched Arthur's. Elizabeth has been asking Arthur to meet with his son, and Arthur keeps saying they'll do it soon, but it never happens.

John had taken her fishing earlier that day, and Bessie and Susan had just finished teaching her how to embroider. Hosea is in town running a scam with a man they had met named Josiah Trelawny. Elizabeth likes him. Of course, she would; Josiah is a magician, after all.

Elizabeth has been humming a tune nonstop, not entirely sure what it is. She's just happy. Who wouldn't be happy on their birthday? She told this to Arthur and John, but not her adoptive parents. She didn't want them to feel obligated to celebrate it. It's no big deal, she's just happy to have been born at all.

John had already taken her fishing, the first one they fished together and without interruptions. It was fun, she wants to do it again sometime later.

"Hello, darlin'," Dutch picks her up from behind, making her squeal and laugh. The man places her on his shoulders, and she holds on happily. "Hi, pops," she beams as Dutch walks towards camp. "Where we goin'?" she asks. In the little time she has been with the gang, she adopted their speech, slang, and accent. Mostly from John and Arthur. "Well, a little bird told me it was a special day today, and I think you know why."

Elizabeth feigns ignorance and promising herself to hit John and hug him after. "I don't know, pops."

"Oh, I think you do," he says, placing Elizabeth on the Count before mounting the horse and riding off with the girl.

"Where we goin'?" Elizabeth asks again, making Dutch chuckle. "Well, you're getting bigger for those old clothes of yours. I say we get some new ones, hm?" he replies as they make their way into town. They stop at a dressmaker's store, hitching the horse onto a post. "But pops, I don't like wearin' dresses all the time," Elizabeth whispers as they make their way inside. "Well, then what do you want to wear?"

"Something like yours and the rest them boys," she beams. And Dutch obliges, letting the little one be measured for a few trousers and shirts, and one new dress. He decides to spend on the girl for today, seeing as it is her birthday. "I shall send it to you in a few days, Mr. Aiden Smith," says the tailor.

The two ride back to camp, and Elizabeth's eyes widen upon seeing Boadicea hitched outside. Once she is off the horse, she runs into camp, her eyes searching for her brother. "Arthur!" she says sprinting up at him and tackling his waist. "Oh! There's our birthday girl," Elizabeth beams as Arthur crouches to her level. "How was your day, li'l miss?"

"It was fun! John and I went fishin' and-and Dutch took me out to get new clothes," she replies excitedly. "Ain't that nice," Arthur smiles at her, ruffling her hair. "I got somethin' for ya, too," Arthur walks her right outside camp, towards the creek she spent her morning in after fishing. She looks around curiously until she hears it.