Chapter Text
It’s been years since you’ve started your job as a bounty hunter. Some bastards are easy to catch, others really try your patience. The sheriffs almost always laugh in your face when they see you look at the posters, but their shocked faces when you enter their office carrying the bounties never cease to amuse you.
Ever since your family died, you’ve been by yourself. You take no shit from anybody. You learned how to survive in a world made by and for men.
You rob rich folk from time to time, but you’re trying to stick to the legal job. You‘d rather not see your face on those posters you’re always searching for, but sometimes the loot is so tempting you have to rob them fools.
-
You’re riding your mare through the woods looking for your latest prey. You approach a cave and see a man and a woman talking. You take the poster out of your satchel to make sure the woman you are looking at is the one you were desperately hunting, Ellie Anne Swan. You draw your pistol out, ready to strike, when you hear a galloping horse. You quickly hide behind a tree.
You see a muscular man dismounting said horse and menacingly approaching the couple.
“Ellie Anne Swan?” he shouts.
They’re both startled by his voice. The woman ready to fight.
“Ellie Anne, I’m sorry but I’m gonna make you go with the feller.” the man says, scared.
She quickly draws her knife out and stabs him in the throat.
“What kinda man are you?” she screams.
She then turns to face the big man in front of her. Tries to stab him too. She manages to graze him a couple of times with her knife, but her skills are nonexistent compared to his. He easily immobilizes her and ties her hands up. She screams and fights hard as hell.
He sighs, “I’m sorry ma’am.” he says, before hitting her in the head with the back of his shotgun. She immediately goes unconscious, and he bends over to finish tying her up.
You leave your hiding place. You’re not letting this man take your bounty – your money – away from you. He’s big and skilled. You know he could easily take you down in a fight, just as you watched him do with that woman. So, you decide to surprise him from behind.
You move slowly, trying not to startle him. Gun drawn out, pointing directly at his head. You’re not afraid to pull the trigger, but you hope it doesn’t come to that. As you’re close enough, you talk.
“Put your hands up.”
He suddenly stops, very much surprised by your presence. He slowly puts his hands behind his head as you move to face him. He watches you carefully with a smirk on his face. It’s irritating. He should be afraid of you – or at least of your gun pointing right between his eyes – instead he looks almost amused by the situation.
“You’re making a mistake here, miss.”
You ignore him. “Drop your weapons.” you order.
He doesn’t move, just keeps looking at you straight in the eyes, almost teasing you. The smirk still on his face.
“I said drop your goddamn weapons!” you shout.
“Okay, calm down.” he says, as he reaches for his holsters and puts his guns on the ground. You move closer, still pointing the gun at him, and you kick his weapons away from him.
You whistle for your horse that catches up with you in a matter of seconds. Your eyes still locked with the man’s. You don’t like his attitude. Almost as if he’s enjoying being robbed. Or maybe he just doesn’t think you’re good enough to rob him. His eyes full of arrogance. They never leave you. He’s trying to intimidate you, but you’re not that kinda girl. You’re not that kinda thief. You don’t scare easily, especially not just by a pair of blue eyes.
“What’s your name?” you ask. He frowns, confused by your sudden interest in him.
“Arthur Morgan.”
Arthur Morgan.
You know who this man is, you’ve heard people back in Valentine talk about how he almost punched a man to death in the muddy streets.
You heard he was part of a gang of outlaws, you don’t recall the name. You wonder how much the bounty on his head is.
You’re smart, you know you can’t afford to let him figure out you know who he is. You can’t let him perceive your fear. You have to play along.
“Well, Mr. Morgan, would you be so kind and help a lady put her earned bounty on her horse?” you said, not looking away from him.
Arthur’s now irritated by your question. He didn’t expect to see such confidence in yourself. He thought he was dealing with a naïve thief who would fall to pieces at his very first word. Instead, he’s facing a girl who’s matching his energy, who’s as arrogant as he is, maybe even more.
He’s pissed but intrigued at the same time.
He stands up, picks up Ellie Anne from the ground and carries her to your horse, loads her up and makes sure she stays in place.
You’re still holding him at gunpoint while you mount your horse. He growls, while you smile at him.
“Thank you, Mr. Morgan. Not only you took care of this feisty woman for me, but you made sure I could get her to the sheriff’s office safely. You’re a real gentleman.” you tease.
“Don’t mention it.” he answers, trying to keep the act going but clearly annoyed at you.
You tip your hat at him, before lightly kicking the sides of your mare and taking off toward Valentine. You ride as fast as you can, checking your surroundings every now and then to make sure Arthur’s not following you. You breathe a sigh of relief when you finally reach the sheriff’s office and happily put your twenty-five dollars in your satchel.
-
Arthur watches you ride away with your horse, still annoyed he’s been robbed. He shakes his head, baffled, but chuckles briefly thinking about how you stood your ground. It amused him.
He sits down, sighing and taking his journal out of his satchel.
I’ve been robbed. Never thought I’d see the day. This girl pointed a gun at my head and took my bounty. Even made me load her up on her horse. Morgan, what a fool you are.
She was interesting, to say the least. She wasn’t intimidated, or at least she did her best not to give it away. I ain’t sure what to make of this meeting. I’m kinda hoping to see her again. She owes me twenty-five dollars, after all.