Pretty as an Angel (Arthur Morgan X Reader)

Chapter 18 - Taken

A few weeks later

The ranch was slowly but surely coming together, John had sourced some cattle off another ranch not too far away and Arthur had bought some sheep from a passing trader. Between Abigail; yourself and the boys, when they weren't working, you had started to build a small working ranch.

Cattle in one pen stood strong grazing off the crispy sunburnt grass, sheep scattered around the other munching away at the various herbs and plants growing underneath them.  The barn was nearly ready for the addition of some horses, you worked day in day out fashioning hitching pens out of wood scraps from the carpentry store in Blackwater.

Hot midday sun beat down on the ranch as you were doing your daily chores of changing the water for the animals, you lugged heavy buckets of water up and down the fence line emptying its contents out in the troughs.

"There you go girls, some nice fresh water for you."  You smiled as you replenished the sheep pen water.

From the house Abigail called out for you,

"(Y/n!)"

"Yeah?"  You looked up, your hat shading your face from the scorching rays.

"Anything you need help with?"  She called.

"Both the female cows need milking if you wouldn't mind, the chickens are arriving soon otherwise I would do it myself."  You said back as you wiped beads of sweat from your forehead. Soon after you put the buckets back where they belonged a small wagon rolled up to the gates of the ranch, a small man jumped down and gave a big gestured wave in your direction as you jogged over to him.

"I got some chickens for ya ma'am."  He stated.

"Ah yes, I was expecting you mr erm-"

"Mr Giles."  Giles said happily as he got back onto the wagon and shuffled over allowing you space to join him.

"Just straight over the back there Giles." You pointed just left of the house to a small wire pen with a red hutch in the middle.

Giles steered the wagon to the pen and stopped it just outside, both of you jumped off and opened the door at the back and heaved the chicken cage out.

"The agreed price was fifty Miss." Giles said as he set the cage down, you passed him some bill notes and he went on his way.

"Hey Jack, come out here!"  You called.

Quickly Jack came skipping out of the house clutching his story book, his small delicate face lit up and his smile stretched ear to ear as he laid eyes on the four chickens at your feet.

"Auntie (y/n) can I name them?" He asked joyfully.

"Of course, but first you have to help me put them in their new home!" 

Jack couldn't contain his excitement, he slightly jumped up and down after placing his book neatly on the floor, you opened the cage door and it made a squeak.  With no fear Jack reached in and grabbed one of the chickens with both hands and took it out, holding it close to him he pushed open the gate with his foot and placed the chicken down.

"Did you see that auntie (y/n)?!  Did you see?" He was beaming.

All four chickens were clucking around their pen pecking inquisitively at the grass, you poured some feed into Jack's cupped hands and he threw it at them.

"I'm gonna name the brown one Mr Chicken!"  He chortled.

"That's a good name Jack I'm sure he'll like that."  Giggling, you left him yapping away at the new chickens and went to check on Abigail.

She sat on a small stool pulling milk from one of the female cows whilst it stood chewing clumps of grass.

"How ya getting on?"  You asked crouching next to her.

"It's tough getting them to come over here but I'm getting the hang of it." She explained, "How's Jack?"

"He is letting the chickens know the rules I think, where they can go and whatnot."  You laughed.

Evening drew in slowly, the rich sun crouched behind the borderline of mountains separating your past life and your current life. Abigail and Jack were inside the house, you sat on the step of the porch twisting your knife in your hands. With an immense feeling of pride you gazed out onto the ranch you had built, your eyes flitting between the pens as you checked the animals from a distance. Then something caught your eye, three men riding up the path in a line all of them on black horses. You squinted as you stood up and slowly walked down the stairs, hand hovering over your revolver. 

"You gentlemen lost?"  You called confidentiality to mask your concern.

"(Y/n) (l/n), why we've been lookin' all over for you."  You recognised that voice, seedy and sly, as the figure came into the porch light your heart stopped and your stomach knotted tightly.

"Colm O'driscoll." Swaggering over to him you hissed his name through your teeth.

"Word is you and Mr Morgan got outta the gang, now with Dutch dead, I gotta find a new hobby."  He snarled, "Where is Arthur Morgan?"

"Like I'm gonna tell you anything."  You narrowed your eyes and subtly flicked the catch on your revolver.

"Girls never learn do they?"  He asked his fellow riders and received a gruff chuckle.

"I suggest you get off my property Colm, you don't wanna die in New Austin, or do ya?" Tactfully you lured him in, poised and ready to fire a single shot straight into his head.

Suddenly two other O'driscolls appeared from the side of the house, one with a gun to Abigail's head and the other to Jack's, the mother and son who you held so dear clutched onto each other's outstretched arm, Abigail pleading with you with her glazed over eyes.

"You come with us and we won't shoot this whore and her kid."  Colm demanded, he smiled savagely showing his jagged chipped teeth.

With a deep breath you took your hand away from your revolver and raised them both above your head, you glanced over to her and nodded, you had no idea if they would get shot after you left and that uncertainty made your tough exterior crumble. You bowed your head and joined Colm and the other O'driscolls.

"Good choice miss (y/n), I'm sure Arthur won't mind a bit, he's an outlaw you see hard type to tie down, he'll probably be glad to be rid of you."  Colms word cut you like cold ice, you didn't believe him but your constant nagging doubt was starting to take control of your rationality.

Colm mounted his horse and pulled you in front of him pressing his pistol to your temple,

"Don't try any shit now girl, unless you don't wanna be alive." He smirked as he kicked his Spurs into his horse and motioned for the rest of his men to follow, you watched as Abigail and Jack were thrown onto the floor and left sobbing in the dirt. As you got further away you couldn't hope enough that you would run into Arthur or at the very least Milton.