•Tombstone• Brothers Under The Sun

Chapter 3

𝓡𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓪 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓲𝓽 𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓽 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓻

"I think from now on," Elle started, "you milk Jess." She took off her hat and brushed the dirt off her hands.

Her comment earned a smirk from the man next to her, who was also taking off his hat and brushing the sand from his face. "I will gladly milk Jess, if it so pleases you."

"Why yes," Ellanora looked up at him, "yes it would please me." Her voice turned into a whisper.

He smiled softly at her, she felt her cheeks burn red and it wasn't from the sun, it was because of the feeling she had when he was near Elle. She looked away shyly, turned her head so her hair now covered part of her face.

"Come," he had broken the silence, "let's head back before your mother gets worried." He pats her back and gives her the bucket filled with milk.

"My mother is always worried." She says grumbling to herself. Elle loved her mother, but she asked too much of the young girl. Saying she needed to be more of a lady of she wanted to survive on this world.

"And rightfully so," he said sternly, "someone has to keep you in line." He joked.

Elle stopped and looked at him in shock, he as well stopped walking and looked back at her. He laughed at her expression which earned a playful smack on the arm from Elle.

Ellanora's eyes fluttered open as her dream disappeared into the morning heat. Sitting up on the bed, she saw that her body still cling onto her clothes, even her boots were still on. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she rubbed her eyes and then cracked her knuckles.

Standing up, bones cracked and pops on their own as she walked to the pitcher of water. Splashing her face with the lukewarm water, she grabbed a towel and wiped her face dry. Her gaze landed on the mirror in front of her, where her reflection looked lifeless in front of her. Her hair, as dusty as the sand which she travelled on, seemed to fall perfectly around her face and drape over her shoulder. Her eyes looked cold and dead, but held a shiny sea blue to them.

Throwing the towel down, she stood up straight and turned away from her reflection. Grabbing her hat, and satchel, she wandered down into the lobby of the hotel. The man, whom when she arrived confused her as the opposite gender, greeted her with a good morning, telling her she could leave her key at the counter whenever she was ready to leave. Not wanting to leave the town yet, she thanked him and said she'd be back in the late afternoon to return the key and leave.

Stepping out into the busy street, she glanced around and saw the city come to life again. People walked past her and chatted about the gossip. One couple walked past and mentioned a play happening tonight, there was a actor company coming to town. Turning away she saw more red sashes walk past her, some still drunk from the night before. Ellanora eyes them carefully as they joked and yelled at some people walking past. She kept her head down and was relieved that the group was a different set of men from the bunch she ran into last night. The thought of those men put an uneasy feeling in her stomach, which made her want to leave Tombstone that very moment.

Walking down the street a little more, she saw Fred White speaking with a man who was quite good looking. He was maybe his late 20's, early 30's. Wearing a vest and hat, which was always by men in this area, supported by a big bushy moustache. Before she decided to maybe wait to speak with Fred, Fred say Elle and called her over. The young man looked up towards her and smiled towards her.

She wasn't in the mood for conversation, but she wanted to speak with Fred before she left. Sighing you herself, she walked towards the men and Fred greeted her warmly.

"Ellanora Raycroft, meet Morgan Earp, him and his brothers just arrived in Tombstone." Fred said.

"Lovely to meet ya miss." Morgan tipped his hat towards Elle.

"Pleasure." She said softly. "What brings you to Tombstone?"

"Me and my brothers are gonna start a living here, hopefully retire, have a family." Morgan spoke with great ambition, he knew what he wanted here in Tombstone.

Elle smiled, and looked at Fred, "I would like to speak to you later Mr. White, if that's alright with you?"

Fred beamed at her, "Of course my dear, I'll be around." Elle smiled at the man, thankful for his kindness.

"Excuse me gentlemen," Elle said tipping her hat, "It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Earp." She said smiling towards Morgan.

"You as well Miss." he smiled back.

"Marshal." Elle nodded to the older gentleman and he nodded back.

Turning away, she started walking back down the road and found a new saloon that was open for some breakfast. She picked a new one, because she didn't want to run into the cowboys she was confronted with last night.

The door was wide open so she stepped on and saw a few people chatting and a group of men playing a game of cards. She approached the barkeep and watched as he cleaned a few shot glasses. He greeted her and took Elle's order. After eating a few bites of her meal she thought of Morgan Earp.

"Earp." She whispered to herself. It sounded familiar on her tongue. But she had met so many people while on her travels. It was hard to keep track of the people she had met.

Suddenly a man who was playing cards stood up from his seat and started cursing  and pointing his guns at two men. Another man, who was seated next to the one yelling slurs, stood up as well. Elle turned in her seat and watched as the bartender tells them to take it outside. The two men who were yelling at a man, who looked to be native, and another short with an aging face, and a dark thin moustache.

"Mind ya own damn business bar man!" One yells to the barkeep.

"Hey there's no need to-" the taller one started but the man who was yelling pushed him.

Elle stood up and watched as the man who looked native, pulled the man from him after the man yelled at him. She walked behind the one with the tempter as soon as he was pushed. The man stumbled back and fell into Elle. He pushed Elle back in shock and saw that she was a women. Ellanora stumbled back and put her hand on her gun when she saw the other man who he was with, pull out his gun.

"Stand down." The short thin man said.

The two angry men growled at her and the two other men, the native gentleman suddenly pulled out his gun as well, causing one of the other men to fire his gun. The bullet flew past Elle and suddenly the native man pushed them out the saloon.

"Turkey Creek Jack Johnson. And that's Texas Jack." The tall man spoke to Elle before walking out of the saloon after Jack.

"Ellanora Raycroft." She nodded to him and walked out with Johnson.

The two men started yelling and pulled their guns out and aimed it at Elle, and the two men she had met. Turkey Creek had told the crowd that had gathered that they should go back to their business. Then, one of the men pulled out his gun and pointed it at Elle. Before Elle could take out her gun, Texas Jack pulled the trigger as one of the others did. Shooting them down and missing Jack, they fell the the ground with a thud. Creek looked at Elle asking if she was okay. She brushed him off and saw as his eyes locked with someone across the road.

Elle followed his gaze and saw Behan watching what had just unfolded. Next to him were four other men. The gentleman she had met earlier with Fred White was among them. Next to Morgan, was a familiar face.

It was Virgil Earp.