Trust - OC x Arthur (RDR2)

chapter 5 - afraid of the dark?

As Vanessa waited for Arthur to finish selling the wolf pelt, she took the opportunity to give her horse a good brushing. The gentle strokes of the brush against the horse's mane and coat were soothing, and Vanessa felt a sense of calm wash over her. Meanwhile, she kept an eye on Arthur, curious to see how much he would get for the pelt. It was always fascinating to watch him at work - he always seemed so determined to do the job well she had seen it when he did his chores at camp.

Arthur handed Vanessa $23 in cash, which was half the amount he had received for a pelt. "we got 46 dollars for the pelt," he informed her. Vanessa expressed her appreciation with a nod and a smile "Not bad."

As the sun began to set, one of the Arthur spoke up. "We should start looking for a place to camp for the night. It'll be too dark to continue riding safely," he said, taking the lead as they continued their journey. Vanessa couldn't resist teasing him a little. "Are you afraid of the dark, mister Morgan?" she playfully quipped.

As he sat atop his horse, he couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. With a gentle pull of the reins, he signalled his horse to come to a stop. "No, I just don't wanna ride out in the dark," he explained to Vanessa, who had to put her horse into a canter to catch up. The sun had already set, and the sky was beginning to turn a deep shade of blue. The trees around them cast long shadows, and the sound of crickets filled the air. 

 she felt a sudden drop of a cool raindrop on her forehead. She looked up at the overcast sky, which seemed to be getting darker by the minute. She expressed her worry about the impending rain and suggested "We should really find camp before the rain hits" Her tone was filled with a sense of urgency and discomfort, as she did not want to get caught in the middle of a heavy rainstorm.

"afraid of a little rain?" he teased her with a mischievous smirk. It was obvious revenge for Vanessa's last remark and he was thoroughly enjoying the moment.

Arthur, with a swift motion, pulled his horse to a stop and deftly turned it into the trees. He quickly dismounted, tying the horse's reins around a sturdy tree trunk. Vanessa, following his lead, dismounted her horse as well. Arthur then proceeded to unpack all the camping equipment. Meanwhile, Vanessa set up her tent nearby as the white glow of the moon beamed behind the trees, as Arthur set up the fire.

Vanessa sat beside the warm and comforting amber flames of the fire that Arthur had skillfully built, which was protected from the heavy rain that was pouring down. She watched in as Arthur reached over to his reliable saddlebag and pulled out two exquisite bottles of whisky. He opened one of them and handed it over to her with a slight smile, sitting next to her. "Miss Clark-" he started.

"Please call me Vanessa" she corrected him.

 "What did you do to end up on the run from the law?" a little bit of panic shot through her as he asked that question. she had completely forgotten that she had told them that she was on the run from the law. there was little truth in her running from the law she was running from a man who used and abused her but she didn't want them to know that. she took a deep breath before answering. "well, you know how it is. this life, it ain't kind." she paused taking another breath. "I had a nasty fight with a man I once trusted with my life, turned out he wasn't the man I thought he was, so I did what I had to, I killed him"

oh, how she wished she had killed Liam.

Vanessa was deeply troubled by the fact that she had not killed him. She wanted to but she couldnt she wasn't sure why, but if she had she could have saved her friends from the clutches of the notorious gang. However, she had promised Ben that she wouldn't take such a drastic step, and now she was bound by her word. Vanessa was never one to make promises lightly, and this one, in particular, weighed heavily on her conscience. She yearned to find a way to rescue her friends, but the odds seemed so-

Arthur inquired, "What did he do?" She tilted her head in confusion, "What do you mean?" "The man you killed, what did he do?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "Oh, I don't like discussing it," she replied, averting her gaze, feeling a bit ashamed.

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and uttered, "fair enough." As he stood by the campfire, he placed a piece of venison on the crimson and amber flames, the flicker which illuminated his face. After cooking the meat to perfection, he handed it over to her and inquired, "how's your arm?" She winced a bit and admitted, "it still hurts, but I'll live."

After finishing her meal, Vanessa retreated to her small tent, hoping to get some sleep. However, an unshakeable feeling plagued her mind. Memories from her past flooded her thoughts, causing her to reminisce about her old gang and friends - people she once loved, but who had transformed into monsters that thrived on her pain and suffering. Amongst the gang members, there were only two that she truly missed, while the rest had become nothing more than distant memories of a life she had left behind.