Chapter Text
“Howdy boys. Mind emptying your packs for me?” Cheyenne flashed a sweet smile as she pulled both her revolvers from their holsters and pointed them at the pair of men in front of her. “Now please.”
Being stuck in 1899 had its advantages. Like being able to rob unsuspecting people like this without having to worry about the law breathing down her neck almost immediately after. She hated it. Robbing people who deserved it would be one thing, but this? Even though she had an exceptionally good reason for it, it made her stomach turn in disgust at herself.
In this time, they were Lady Cheyenne Rivers and her daughter Selene Rivers. They had learned early on after being flung here by some asshole in a top hat that this place was wild, dangerous, and if Cheyenne wanted to protect her daughter, then quick and sometimes bad decisions had to be made.
The pair had been in this time for a little over a year now with absolutely no idea how to get back home. When the strange man had dumped them both on the outskirts of Saint Denis all he had said as a hint was “save them” before practically disappearing before their eyes. All he left behind was one of Cheyenne’s old backpacks with a ridiculous amount of money, her phone, a solar powered battery pack, and some books on herbs and medicines. “For entertainment.” He had explained cryptically.
The two had found a hotel on the streets of Saint Denis for shelter and it didn’t take long for Cheyenne to do some digging to figure out just where and when the hell they were. Suffice it to say learning that information did nothing to ease the pit of anxiety and fear in her belly. Her daughter had been only three then, so she did not fully understand why they couldn’t go home, and the best Cheyenne could tell her was that for now this was going to be home.
She had to be strong for her little girl, had to push that fear aside to comfort and take care of her sweet daughter. They were all each other had for a long time even before being sent back here, now it was just truer than ever. At least the money they had been left made it easy to live comfortably in this unforgiving time, along with buy clothes that more aptly suited the times.
It was during one such evening of indulgence, where the two had purchased new dresses and went out for a show, something that never failed to bring a smile to Selene’s little face, that they had run into a man named Nathaniel Rivers. From there, bad decision after bad decision led to their current predicament. On the run from the monstrous man and the abuse he inflicted in exchange for Cheyenne’s own stupidity and naivety after being stuck with him for the last few hellish months.
"I'm afraid we don't have much money on us miss, why don't you just put that gun down and all of us forget this happened?" The older of the two spoke up, raising his hands to eye level, his fishing rod still gripped tightly in his right. He gave off grandpa vibes, dangerous grandpa, but still.
"Money? I don't give a damn about your money mister. Grab that pack of yours and give me all the medicinal herbs you've got." Cheyenne said in an even tone, guns held steady against her palms. Right now, she did not have the patience for his talking or stalling. Especially with the overpowering presence of the man standing next to him who had also lifted his hands in mock surrender. The man oozed danger and power despite the amused twinkle she could see dancing in his blue eyes. They weren’t taking her seriously and right now that certainly would not do.
The men exchanged curious glances before looking back her. “If you just need herbs miss you can put those away. We’ve got no problem givin’ you those.” The older man spoke slowly, a glint in his eye that she couldn’t read. Shaking her head, Cheyenne trained her gaze on the larger of the two, she felt if either of them was to try something it would be him. “Nice try but I’m not an idiot. I’ve had my fair share of people trying to lure us in with kindness and I won’t fall for that again. Now gather those herbs, put ‘em in my saddle bags, and we can all go on about our day. And make it speedy would ya? I got places more important to be.”
The older man nodded and walked over to his pack where it laid against a rock by the river the two had been fishing in when she rode up behind them. The younger one stayed put just staring at her in silence, a curious look on his face. As though he was trying his damnedest to figure out what the hell she was robbing them for herbs for. Still, he didn’t move as the older man gathered said herbs and placed them in the saddle bags on her Dutch Warmblood, didn’t move an inch either as she saddled back up, nor when she holstered her weapons and bid them an actual sincere thank you and farewell before riding off back the way she came.
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Arthur and Hosea stood for a moment just watching as the strange woman’s figure grew smaller in the distance. “Well, that had to be the most interesting time I’ve been robbed.” Hosea laughed turning back to the river while Arthur just hummed in response still staring off in the direction she had ridden off in. She didn’t want their money, what thief doesn’t rob for money? And robbing for herbs of all things, the plants Hosea had given her were growing wild everywhere. Hosea was right, it was definitely interesting. Turning back to the river he cast his line back out, what a weird encounter that was.
The pair fished for a while longer, swapping stories and eventually theories about the strange woman. A conversation that continued even as they mounted their horses to head back to camp. “I can’t believe you just gave her those herbs!” Arthur chuckled to Hosea and the older man just shrugged. “Didn’t you see the look in her eyes? Whatever she needed them for must have been important, she would have easily pulled those triggers if I said no. There’s no doubt about that in my mind.” He replied as the two nudged their horses into a lazy trot. “At least she was a polite thief.”
It had to be some sort of miracle or sick twist of fate then when the two were nearly back to Horseshoe Overlook, turning at the base of the cliff that held their camp, that they noticed smoke deeper into the tree line ahead of them and could just make out the familiar coloring of a golden Dutch Warmblood hitched to a nearby tree.
Slowing their horses to stop, the two cast each other confused looks and, almost simultaneously, slipped off their horses to creep into the trees. Taking care to give a wide berth to the tethered horse, they ease into the trees and after only a few seconds were able to make out a wagon and small campfire at the cliff base.
“Mommy it hurts.” A small voice said as Arthur moved to stand behind a tree, Hosea doing the same.
“I know baby, I know. But mommy got some herbs earlier to help make it better. They’re not gonna taste very good but I promise it’ll help. Here drink some of this.” Arthur watched as she crouched by the little fire and poured some liquid from the percolator that had been sitting there to boil. “It’s some tea made from the herbs. It’ll help your throat and bring down your fever. You’ll be all better soon my love.”
Standing she made her way over to the wagon with the little cup in her hands and Arthur watched as a small girl, no older than 5 maybe, sat up from behind the lip of the wagon to take the cup. He and Hosea stared at each other in shock, so this was why she needed the herbs. For her sick daughter. Everything made a lot more sense now and Arthur realized Hosea had been right. She would have killed them without a second thought.
As the two watched on the little girl sipped on the cup grimacing with each sip, only continuing at her mother’s gentle encouragement. The sight tugged on Arthur’s hardened heart, a single mother and her child just out here trying to survive like they were. When the girl had finished the last of the medicine, her mother gently laid her back in the wagon back out of sight, her low words of comfort as she spoke carrying across to the two intruders.
Arthur supposed the child must have fallen asleep, because one moment the woman was focused on her in the wagon, the next she was turned to face the trees with a shotgun in her hands. “I know you’re there, whoever you are either come out or get the hell out of here before I fill you with holes.” The warm tone was gone now and instead there was only a chilling coldness in its place. Hosea gave Arthur a look from his place behind the tree. The look said it all and Arthur was silently shaking his head back at him. Don’t do it. His eyes screamed but it was too late.
Raising his hands like he had done back at the river, Hosea stepped from behind the tree and the woman immediately pinned him with the shotgun. “You again. What do you want? Revenge for some fucking herbs? Money? You come near us, and I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you ever do.” Hosea shook his head and motioned for Arthur to come out as well, the much larger man sighed before mimicking him and stepping out. He had a feeling this was a really bad idea which only intensified when she swung that shotgun to point at him.
“No miss we’re not here for anything like that. We saw the smoke from your fire and stopped out of curiosity, we had no idea we would find you here.” Hosea explained while her eyes flickered between them. “She’s pretty sick huh?” Arthur motioned to the wagon behind the woman and her eyes narrowed into slits.
“She doesn’t exist to either of you. Now leave.” The woman growled through gritted teeth. For the first time Arthur took in her appearance. Long dark curls flowing down her back and framing her plump tan face, a soft curvy body hidden beneath the white button up and pants she was wearing, dark brown eyes with even darker circles under them, and pink full lips curled in as snarl as she watched them intently. She was standing as steady as she could but even he could see the exhaustion clear on her face as she threatened them, which meant he was sure Hosea could see it too. This woman was essentially a wounded cougar protecting her cub, one wrong move and she would pounce, and this would end in blood.
Hosea raised his hands higher as he took a tentative step forward. “We have a camp nearby. Medicine, supplies. We could help you-” He didn’t even get a chance to finish his sentence and she was cocking the shotgun, Arthur’s hand strayed closer to the revolver at his side. He didn’t want to hurt her but he damn sure wasn’t going to let her hurt either of them.
“Not. Interested.” She snarled at them. “No way in hell are we coming with you just so you can what? Slit our throats in the night or worse? Been there done that and barely escaped unharmed. I won’t make that mistake again.” Arthur paused for a moment, what the hell was that? He had never heard that weird phrase before but based off her words it sounded like she had trusted people before, and it put them in danger. No wonder she was being so defensive.
Reaching for his buckle, he slowly undid his gun belt. Hosea obviously wanted to bring them back to camp, probably worried about the little girl, and the only way to do that was to show her they could be somewhat trusted. Her eyes flickered to him as he took off the belt and held it off to the side. “We don’t want to hurt you. We just want to help. It’s dangerous out here and at least if you’re in camp with us you’ll both be guarded.”
He watched as for just a moment her eyes softened, turning her head slightly to look back at her daughter. Whatever they had been through he couldn’t even imagine but it had obviously been bad enough that she was having to battle with herself over the right option. “How far is this camp?” She quietly asked as she turned back to them, slightly lowering the gun.
Beside him, Arthur heard Hosea breathe a deep sigh of relief. “Not far, it’s just up this hill there. I understand why you’re so skeptical miss, but I promise we only want to help. Our group has a saying, help those as need helping, and save those as need saving. I’m sure once you see the camp, all the women and even the other child that’ll be there, you’ll feel much more comfortable.”
That seemed to catch her attention and for the first time since meeting her, they were finally speaking without her pointing a gun in their faces. “Ok. Fine. I’ll follow you to this camp, but this is just for tonight. And if I so much as catch a whiff something is off we get to leave without any fight. Is that a deal?” Hosea nodded in response while Arthur turned back to get their horses. This was gonna be a fun explanation to Dutch, he was already sure of it.