12.
(So I've been thinking of maybe starting a RDR2 oneshots/headcanons. It wouldn't affect Freak or anything and would most probably be kind of sporadic. (I might even put in some Freak oneshots of things that doesn't fit into the story or of things you want to see.)
I thought it would be nice to get some other shorter stories out every now and then, honestly I think I'm better at beginning and ending stories so maybe it would work out for me. I would take requests and all that. If you have any thoughts on the matter feel free to comment.
Also thank you all for reading, voting and commenting! I can't believe that so many of you actually wants to read my story!
//Linnéa )
Weeks had passed and Blue found her relationship with Arthur on a standstill. It wasn't like he'd abandoned her or anything but things just weren't what they used to be. He wouldn't talk to her if there wasn't a reason nor would he tuck her in at night, he just poked his head into her tent to make sure she went to bed when she was supposed to. She couldn't blame him though, she'd hurt his feelings and besides a lot of things had been going on in camp recently.
They had moved their camp to an unpleasant old house soon after the incident with the shooting, it had a fountain outside and all of their tents were pitched around the yard. Some of the people got to sleep inside, Arthur was one of them, Blue was not. She didn't really know why they had to move and why they had to do it in such a hurry and when she tried to ask Arthur he'd just told her that he didn't have time to explain and that she could ask Hosea. She didn't want to ask Hosea... but then again there wasn't much Blue wanted to do nowadays. She found hat she had lost most of her will and enthusiasm to do anything that wasn't necessary.
She spent most of her time doing chores with the girls, reading or helping Abigail to keep an eye on Jack. She was with him right now, little Jack, he was so sweet. Her gloomy mood hadn't gone unnoticed by any of the gang members but Jack was the one who tried hardest to make her happy. Every morning he would come by her tent with both of their breakfasts' and they would sit together at her cot, dangling their legs over the side telling stories. Then he would leave her to do her chores for a few hours before he came back and asked her if she wanted to play, usually she didn't but she also didn't have the heart to tell him no so she always ended up saying yes.
That particular day he'd asked her if she wanted to play tag, she said yes and so that's what they were doing. They hadn't been playing for too long when things started to go wrong however...
Blue had that weird feeling of being watched, she told herself that it was all in her head but she couldn't shake the feeling and became more and more aware of how far away from camp they'd ended up. It made her nervous enough to want to run back to camp but she didn't want to scare Jack. Instead she slowed down and leaned on a tree, pretending to be tired.
"Jack, I don't know if I want to play tag anymore, can't we go back and read instead?" she whined. There was a slight pout on the younger boy's face for a second while he thought it over.
"Oh okay, but you have to catch me one more time!" he said with a mischievous smile. Before she could answer he shot off in the opposite direction of camp. Thinking it wouldn't make a difference she went after him, even letting a little smile come through as she chased him.
"Imma get you Jacki-boy!" and get him she did. Because he stopped without warning, causing her to crash into him. Blue was just about to ask him why on earth he would do that but the now familiar click of a gun stopped her. Coming out from behind the thick tree trunks surrounding the two of them were three mean looking men, guns drawn and ropes thrown across their shoulders.
"What do we have here? Two little pups' away from their bitch... how very sad" the tallest of the men said. his hair was long and greasy, his eyes cold and a smile that sent unpleasant shivers down Blue's spine.
Quickly she pulled Jack to his feet and pushed him behind her. Making sure she didn't look any of the men directly in the eye she mumbled "We didn't mean to disturb you, we'll be on our way." Quickly she turned around urging jack to do the same, but of course she didn't get very far.
"Oh I don't think so" the same man said again, wrapping his hand around her arm and pulling her back towards him. The fear she'd been feeling now turned into full on panic, what would they to them?!
"RUN JACK!" she yelled, never had Blue felt so desperate before, she needed to do something! Anything! The thought of these men getting a hold of Jack was unbearable! Kicking and screaming she tried to keep all three men's attention on herself so that Jack could get to safety. This, of course, didn't work... no grown man was all that stupid. It didn't take long before both Blue and Jack were slung over shoulders and told to shut up. Blue didn't know what to do, should she keep screaming and hope that someone would hear while risking angering the men more or should she keep quiet and hope for their mercy?
Looking over to where Jack was hanging over one of the men's shoulders she could see the tears streaming down, or rather up, his face. And she thought that maybe, just maybe, if she started causing enough trouble the man holding Jack would put him down to help his friend, and maybe then there could be a chance for Jack to run and hide. With her mind made up she got started, kicking the man in the chest while violently banging her fists at his back, screaming so loud that her throat burnt.
"Stop it! I SAID STOP IT!" the man who had been carrying her yelled as he slung her from his shoulder onto the ground. The fall to the ground caused her to lose her breath and white shapes bloomed before her eyes. Barely able to focus on what was happening she saw the man hovering over her before he took a well-aimed kick at her head, and thus the world turned black.
***
"WHERE IS MY SON DUTCH?!" Abigail yelled hysterically "I WANT MY SON! WHERE IS HE?!" Arthur had no ide what was going on, they'd just come back to camp and were greeted with a sense of pure panic. Jack was gone, that much he understood, but how? Feeling anger and stress building up within him he franticly searched the people around him for any sign of Blue.
"They have Blue too Dutch, whoever took Jack took her too!" Miss Grimshaw filled in, though she was talking to Dutch her eyes were on Arthur. The world seemed to quiet around him, he could see people's mouths move but there was no sound. He didn't believe she was gone, couldn't, she was most probably just in her tent reading or up in some old tree! She couldn't be gone, not when he hadn't yet fixed what had been broken. He had planned to sit down with her that very same day, have a real good long conversation and try to get everything back to the way it used to be!
Without even realizing he'd moved Arthur found himself in at the entrance of her tent, pulling the flaps of cream-colored fabric aside he stuck his head in "Blue?" there was no answer, she wasn't there. Kneeling down he peered under her cot, she wasn't there either. Slamming his fist against the ground he stood up and left the cold empty tent behind. Seeing the others still standing around Dutch he rejoined them "We have to get them back, now!" there was a sort of strained sound in Arthurs voice that he didn't recognize.
Dutch turned to him, fury in his eyes "Oh we will son, and those kid-snatching bastards are going to regret ever being born when we're done with them!" the leader motioned with his hand, urging his men to follow him, and follow him they did.
Arthur Morgan was going to get his daughter back if he so had to shoot every damn last man!
***
"It's called pasta, it's really very tasty Blue!" Blue didn't know how to feel about the excitement in Jacks voice. They had been kidnapped and after a short visit with some creepy old lady they'd been dropped off at a big fancy house belonging to some man called Bronte, and yet Jack was his usual happy self. Sure, it comforted her that he wasn't scared or sad anymore but it was slightly unsettling to see his big grin from across the table.
They were seated in a big dining room with this Bronte man who, like Jack, was urging her to eat the worm-like food on her plate. She was hungry and the food quite honestly smelt divine but there was no way she was eating in the house of the man who held her captive. Not only was he holding them there against their will, no no no, he had also ordered them to be dolled up. Jack was wearing a fancy little jacket with lace around the collar and Blue was in what might just be her worst nightmare. The dress was pure white and stiff, the skirt big and fluffy, a set of ridiculous poofs were located at her shoulders and lace ruffled itchingly around her neck and wrists. She wore white and blue socks that reached her knees and uncomfortable black shoes. Her hair was partly tied up in a blue and white bow on her head and the rest fell down her back in heavily controlled curls. With Blue's hair being so long she had to watch out whenever she sat down so that she didn't sit on it...
"Come now fiore, eat like your brother" the man cooed. He'd taken to calling her 'fiore', Blue had no idea what it meant and though she wanted to know she didn't want to ask. He'd also come to the conclusion that her and Jack must be siblings, she didn't know why but neither her nor Jack had bothered to correct him.
"No thank you." She mumbled, confirming her intentions by pushing the plate away "I'm not hungry."
"Not hungry? But il mio fiore you have not eaten since you stepped into my house. There must be something you want." Even though Bronte's words were those of worry his tone was not.
"I want to go home," she said, glancing towards Jack she added "we want to go home."
"So you've told me... though I cannot see why. I can give you everything and from what I have heard you do not have much of a home, living with thieves." There was a hint of disgust in his voice which Blue didn't appreciate at all.
"Home is where the heart is Mr. Bronte" she stated firmly, intentionally meeting the man's eyes for the first time "Jack has parents who loves him and wants him with them! And I have a..." she paused, Arthurs angry and disappointed face flashing before her "I have friends there too."
"You are too clever for your age little one, a girl your like you shouldn't think in such big ways." He said, smiling in the most unpleasant way. I bothered her how many things people had decided she shouldn't do, mainly because she was a girl. And besides, she thought, she wasn't all that little! She was 7 and a half!
"And what if they don't want you back after getting into all this trouble? If they don't come for you, are you going to live in the street?" he added.
Not come for them?.. the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. They had to, didn't they? John would surely come for Jack and if he didn't then Abigail would. And Arthur, he would come for her, even if she messed up again, right? He wouldn't just leave her behind, not like her real papa did. But then again she didn't think her real father would have done what he did either.
A horrible thought struck her, what if only John came, what if he came to take back Jack and left her behind. She'd barely spoken a word to John, she didn't think he liked her very much... and why would he help her anyways, she'd never done anything for him, he might even blame her for Jack being taken in the first place.
No, NO, she told herself, they would come for the both of them. If Arthur didn't then Dutch would, or Hosea, Charles, Sean or even Bill, or Kieran, someone would! Someone...
***
Arthur couldn't believe it! he was forced to play dress-up and mingle with rich folks when Blue and Jack were being held in that big fancy house. They'd been reassured that the kids were well taken care of but what kind of comfort was that when he didn't know if it was true? He just wanted to get it all over with so that they could all go back to camp.
Earlier that day they had gone to talk to this Bronte man. He'd invited them to the mayor's party and to Arthurs dismay Dutch had agreed to go. Bronte had also wanted to do business with them and even though Dutch had agreed to that too, the leader had later reviled that he had no intention to actually do anything but rob the Italian. This was mostly because of what he had said about Blue...
Basically Bronte was more than happy to give Jack back to them but when it came to Blue he'd been hesitant. "Remarkable little girl, beautiful too, I have become quite fond of her" he started, making it obvious that he had more to say on the matter. He sat down heavily on a plush, expensive looking, chair and crossed one leg over the other.
"I'd like to keep her here, or rather I'd like to take her to my sister who longs for a child but cannot conceive and I-" Arthur hadn't been able to hold back the anger in his voice as he cut the man off, "She has a family, no need for two, now give her back!" Dutch had put a calming hand on Arthurs shoulder, locking his eyes he gave a warning glare, though Arthur could se the anger boiling deep within his leader.
"The girl will come with us and so will the boy." Dutch said firmly. This, however, had only caused Bronte to smile unpleasantly at them before he continued from where Arthur had cut him off,
"I'm willing to pay..." his voice had been smooth and slimy. Dutch had politely declined, although he sounded somewhat strained "As Arthur said, she already has a family, now about what you wanted us to do..." and so the meeting went on as if that slimy piece of shit hadn't just offered to buy a little girl...
***
Another day had passed and yet there was no sign of Arthur or any other familiar faces. Blue's confidence in their intent to rescue her and Jack were beginning to diminish. There had been a moment the day before when she thought she'd heard Dutch's voice coming from downstairs but as time went by she began to think that maybe it was just her imagination playing tricks on her. The fact that Jack hadn't heard it didn't help either.
Sighing Blue looked down at the little boy sleeping in the bed next to where she sat. They'd been provided with one bed each in a shared room but Jack had a hard time falling asleep without his mother and so he asked Blue to sleep in her bed, she couldn't say no to those tear-filled doe eyes. Now he looked so peaceful as he curled up into a little ball at her side, mumbling under his breath every now and then. She stroke his hair absentmindedly while looking out the window. The world was dark outside, only the odd candle in a window here and there and the dull streetlights broke through.
She heard the big door downstairs open and close, hushed voices traveling up the stairs and through the corridors. She could distinguish Bronte's voice though she couldn't hear what he was saying. Earlier that evening he'd called her and Jack downstairs and sat them down in his study, telling them that he would be gone that night and that he wanted them to behave and in bed, sleeping, when he came back. He talked as if he was their father and it bothered Blue immensely. What bothered her even more was when he'd patted their cheeks and kissed the top of their heads before ushering them out of the room and telling them to go play. Who did he think he was?..
Blue's thoughts were cut short when she heard the door creak and slowly open. Quickly she leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes, pretending to have fallen asleep while looking out into the night. She heard him chuckle as he moved closer to them. "Who you looking for fiore?" he mumbled. She felt the bed shift and the warmth of Jack disappeared. The sound of Bronte's feet told her he was carrying Jack to the boy's own bed but Blue dared not look. She could hear him tuck the young boy in and then turn back to her.
Cold hands lifted her head from the glass and placed it softly onto the plush pillows. Smooth fingers brushed the hair out of her face. Warm stinking breath hit her nose. Cold lips pressed against her forehead. It was a familiar act, something Arthur hade done, but it was all so different, not at all comforting or pleasant. She wanted to scream at him to stop it but she didn't dare so she just let him do it, laying as still as possible. Soon, though not soon enough, he moved away from her and towards the door. Just when she thought he would close the door and leave he mumble "my sister is going to adore you" once again she shivered, his sister?..
***
The plan was to get the kids and then figure out a way to rob Bronte, it was simple enough, they were just going to do what he asked them and then pick Jack and Blue up at his house. But when it was all done and they stood together in his house waiting for the kids only Jack appeared at the top of the stairs. Arthur, though happy to see Jack, was nervous. Where was she?
"And the girl?" Dutch questioned, making them all turn towards the Italian.
"Ah yes Blue, well I'm sorry to have to inform you but she has run away." Bronte said calmly. Arthur was shocked, he didn't believe it, she'd never leave Jack behind, never!
"Bullshit!" he growled, moving towards Bronte in a threatening manner, causing the guards behind the man to move equally threatingly towards the gang members.
"Now now Mr. Morgan, no need to get agitated. She was gone when we all woke up this morning, isn't that right boy?" Bronte looked to Jack who clung awkwardly to his father.
"Y-yes Papa Bronte, she was gone b-but I don't thi-"
"See, I told you, now please remove yourself from my property." He was lying Arthur knew it, they all knew it and Bronte was well aware that they knew.
"I want my kid Bronte and I want her now!" Arthur reached for his gun but remembered that it had been taken at the door. He was more than willing to use his fists if he had to but he also knew that they wouldn't come out alive if he did so.
"Your kid? Hm that's new information, I didn't take you as a family man Mr. Morgan. Alas, she is still not here." Bronte smirked.
"You pi-" Arthur started though he was cut off by Dutch "Son" he said placing a familiar firm hand on his shoulder "She might have wandered off, you know how she is" he continued. Arthur knew Dutch was playing along with Bronte to save them but he couldn't help but huff at the comment.
"We'll be leaving then, if you find Blue tell her to come home, good day." Dutch finalized, pulling Arthur by the arm to get him into motion. They got their weapons at then door and stepped out into the bright sunlight.
"He's done something to her Dutch" Arthur hissed "He got her somewhere!"
"I know son, I know."
***
She wanted to kick and scream, bang her fists against the window, break it! whatever it took to alert the familiar men walking down the street below the dirty attic window. The hand that covered her mouth and the arms that held her off of the floor loosened as the men walked out of view. They had come for them and now they were gone... She knew they had wanted her, whatever Bronte said, she knew!
She had woken up at the break of dawn feeling odd, like she was floating. Quickly she came to the realization that someone was carrying her and for a moment, a sweet sweet moment, she thought it was Arthur carrying her to her tent after she'd fallen asleep at the fire again. But it felt wrong, and as she opened her eyes they'd landed on a stranger. She yelped and tried to get away from him but was quickly shut up by a dirty hand over her mouth. After that he had brought her up to the attic and that's where they spent most of the day until her family had arrived at the door. A guard had come into the room talking to the man already present in the same unknown language that Bronte spoke. There was something that they said, however, that Blue had understood 'Van der Linde'. Dutch! They were talking about Dutch! Excitedly she had ran to the window and pushed her face to the glass. For only a fraction of a second she saw them, Dutch, Arthur and John. Just when she got ready to shout out their names her mouth had once again been covered by that dirty hand and she was lifted of the ground so that she couldn't make a sound.
She'd been held like that for what felt like forever before she was finally let down and by then they were gone. Blue couldn't help the tears running down her face when she realized she was trapped, maybe forever. Numbly she let herself be guided down the narrow stairs from the attic and back into the room she'd shared with Jack for the week that had passed. Sitting down on the bed she stared at her hands as the lay palm up on her lap. She studied the little scar she'd gotten the day she fell into the road in front of Arthur, Dutch, Bill and Sean. She liked the white little mark because it reminded her of how much her life had changed since then, how much she had changed since then.
"Il mio fiore why the tears?" Blue hadn't even noticed anyone coming into the room but now she became very aware of Bronte's close proximity. He took her chin between his thumb and finger, angling her face towards him. Angrily she shook him off "I hate you!" Blue had never said that to anyone before, never dared, but the anger and hate she felt towards this man was something she'd never felt towards anyone through her almost eight years on earth. She hated him, hated his house and this room, she hated how he'd kept her from the only people who cared for her, she hated the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, she hated it all!
Anger flashed in Bronte's eyes "Be careful of what you say child!" he said sternly.
"NO! I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!" standing up she slammed her fists at his chest, only to have her wrist grabbed and put into his much larger hand.
"You listen to me girl! They didn't want you! They took the boy and left! And that's that! Tomorrow morning we leave for the docks, a ship will take you to my sister and that's where you will stay! Do I make myself clear?!" he roared.
"NO!" she yelled, staring him defiantly in the eyes, trying to yank her hands out of his big one. Suddenly there was a loud SMACK, Blue's ears were ringing and white flashed in front of her eyes, he'd slapped her... She was stunned, a burning heat rose on her right cheek, pain blossoming in her ear.
"I hear the tiniest sound coming from this room for the remainder of the day and you'll get another one of those." Bronte hissed before he let go of her arms and left the room. Blue stared after him, still not quite sure what just happened. Outside the door was one of the guards who had been in the attic with her, he gave her a sad look and stepped inside the room closing the door behind him.
"I'm sorry little one" he mumbled "he shouldn't have done that, though I suggest you listen to his warning."
Blue had no words, no answer to give. This was it, she though, she was back in the vicious cycle of being beaten into submission and this time she didn't think there was a way out, no cowboys to take her away.
***
"Charles and Javier I want the two of you staking out the house, one of you comes back to camp whenever you have any information, that clear?" The two men spoken to nodded at their leader's orders and turned to leave. Arthur understood that he couldn't be the one to do it since he would be recognized but that didn't mean he was okay with the fact that he was excluded.
"Dutch I nee-" he started.
"No Arthur, we need you here, ready to ride out if something happens." Dutch cut him of firmly.
"But"
"No!" Arthur felt like a young child being told he couldn't go play with his friends...
Dutch sighed, rubbing his eyes "I know it's hard son, trust me it's hard for me too, hell it's had for all of us! But if we do this wrong then we won't get her back at all so please just listen to me, I have a plan, just trust me." Arthur did trust Dutch and so he shut his mouth tightly, curled his hands into fist and watched Charles and Javier mount their horses and ride out of camp.
It was dark when Javier came riding back into camp causing everyone to stand up expectantly. Out of breath he made his way over to the fire where they'd all been seated.
"They're" he breathed hard "they're putting her on a boat tomorrow, I don't know when but it's tomorrow at least" he leaned forward, hands on his thighs "we heard some of the guards talking, they didn't seem to like it all that much, one of them said Bronte was losing it, going bonkers you know." He tapped his finger on his head as if he needed to show them what he meant.
"Italy, he's taking her to Italy like that Braithwaite woman said!" shockingly it was Bill who spoke up, reminding them of what the old woman had told them. Italy, thought Arthur, if Blue ended up in Italy there was no way he would find her, they had to get her! it was now or never!
"Saddle up men, we're heading to the docks, Hosea you stay here and keep an eye on everything, Micha you too, we don't need unnecessary shooting today!" Dutch barked. If it was under any other circumstances Arthur would have laughed at the shocked expression on Micha Bell's face but at that moment there wasn't any time for that.
Arthur had kept his horse saddled since they came back earlier that day in case he needed to leave fast so all he had to do was to sit up and wait for the others to do the same.
That night the Van der Linde gang rode together through the dark with the common goal of bringing back the one little girl who'd managed to steal all of their hardened outlaw hearts'.