The van der Linde gang has taken shelter deep in the snowy mountains in an old mining camp known as Colter, following their botched robbery in the town of Blackwater. They are cold, hungry and unsure of what their futures hold. As Arthur Morgan is o...
Arthur followed along the edge of Flat Iron lake walking on his way to nowhere in particular, kicking the occasional random rock in his path. He eventually stopped and sat on a large boulder facing the lake. The sound of water gently lapping against the shore and the birds chirping along with the occasional small animal rustling in the brush put Arthur at peace, allowing his blood to cool and his mind to slow down so he could think straight.
He replayed the days events in his mind that had built up to the point of him clashing with his friend, his brother, but over what? Was he standing up for a good person that had saved his life twice as well as Dutch's, John's and Strauss' when Javier was being disrespectful? Was it out of anger for Javier calling him stupid and mocking him on the ride back to camp? Or was it straight, simple, jealousy? He knew he felt some kind of way about Kay but what it was he felt and to what extent he hadn't been able to work out yet. If he was honest with himself he didn't think he should be feeling any kind of way yet. He hardly knew her enough to make that sort of discernment.
He wondered if the mystery of who she was played a part in his attraction. Maybe he was finding himself drawn to the tall, beautiful, mysterious woman that traveled the land with a legendary wolf and a one of a kind horse simply for the excitement of the unknown.
Then there was the part of him that felt perhaps the reason he was wound so tight was because he didn't feel it was right to drag someone he cared about into his life, knowing the risks and heat that came with it and it angered him that there was no way around it. Then to see other male members of his gang like Charles and Javier, that are in the same position as he is, possibly working at or considering working at getting close with her infuriated him. He couldn't stand the idea of losing out because he had better morals than they did. Maybe it was all of the above. It all went round and round in his head adding to his stress and the one thing he did know, was that he needed a drink.
He headed back to camp and avoided everyone as he went and mounted up on Artemis then directed her up the trail headed away from all the curious eyes he felt boring into him. He followed the trail around and up until it led him into the town of Rhodes. He headed to the Parlour House, then after hitching Artemis out front he went in to the saloon and ordered himself a whiskey. It was after his third shot that he was about to order a fourth and direct the man to simply leave the bottle when he stopped and angled his ear towards the sound of familiar voices that had suddenly come to his attention. They were coming from upstairs.
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"Excuse me mister, what's upstairs?" He asked the bartender.
"There's extra seating including an outdoor balcony, the washroom is upstairs and of course our blackjack table." He informed happily.
"Okay. Here, let me buy the rest of that bottle from ya. Thank you sir. I think I'll go have a look." Arthur took the bottle and paid the man then proceeded to head up the winding staircase to the second floor of the Rhodes Parlour House. As he approached the blackjack table he stopped suddenly when he realized the familiar voices he'd heard had belonged to Charles and Kay. She sat at the table placing her bets while Charles sat in the chair next to her watching her play, his arm relaxing along the backrest of her seat. They were smiling and talking back-and-forth to one another. He whispered in her ear, earning a laugh from her in response.
