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Chapter 7 Pt.II
"Back in the Mud"
(Eastward Bound)

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They stood tall on horseback, displaying unspoken strength and grace while basking in the sun. Tulip sighed and decided to hop up and into the wagon, her head hanging low as if a heavy weight of unknown emotion dragged it down.

Hosea waved at the three figures, their attire was much more different than their own. They wore no hats, nothing like a typical stetson cowboy hat, and the rays of light dawned upon their dark brown faces.

Arthur turned his attention back to the silhouettes upon the cliff, his eyes wary and cautious. "...What do you think?" He asked lowly.

Willow decided to jump on and sit next to Tulip, who acted stranger than usual. "If they wanted trouble... We wouldn't have seen 'em." He glanced at Hosea.

"Poor bastards..." Hosea held his hand up high. "We really screwed them over down here." Tulip shifted uncomfortably. "C'mon, let's not push our luck."

Arthur was returning a metal canister onto the wagon, "What happened?"

"Well... Get in..." The old man began walking back to the front, "I'll tell ya." They gripped the leather reins once again, "Not too far now, stay on this trail. We'll follow the river then cut left inland."

Willow glanced at Tulip, a tad bit nervous. The woman gazed up to take one last look of them, watching. In a quiet exchange of looks, they finally trotted away and disappeared from the ledge. Charles sat on boxes and chests, curious of Tulip, but he did not ask.

Hosea began to explain as the carriage was on the move once again, the horses braying. "So... Yes, the Indians in these parts got sold a very raw deal. This is The Heartlands we're going to, good farming and grazing country, they lost it all. Stolen clean away from them it was, every blade of grass. Killed or herded up to the reservations in the middle of nowhere."

Charles glanced at Tulip, who had her hands clasped together on her lap. Willow, on the other hand, wasn't smiling. "And how's that different from anywhere else?"

"Well, maybe it's not."

"Just wished it could've been better for them folks." Willow looked at her motherly figure concerningly. Tulip shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. Then quickly made signs with her fingers, "I know, sayin' sorry ain't gonna do any good, Tulip."

Arthur was just listening in, intrigued because he didn't know, apart from Cornwall's letters. "I just heard some of the army out here was particularly, uh...unpleasant about it."

Charles scoffed bitterly, "Unpleasant? How do you rob and kill people pleasantly? We don't, in spite of Dutch's talk."

Hosea replied. "I fear I was perhaps tryin' to simplify something more complicated for the benefit of our blockheaded driver here."

Arthur flicked the reins to catch up with the rest who'd gone ahead, Willow made an airy snicker, trying to hold her laughter at bay. He frowned, "Hey, don't blame it on me. Never forget, this here's a conman, Charles, born an' bred. Just 'cause it sounds fancy don't mean he knows a damn thing about what he's talkin' about."

The lone wagon wheeled over the sturdy, wooden bridge that had logs serving as a sort of roof.

"So... What happen to your tribe, Charles?"

"I don't even know if I have one, least, not that I can remember... At least you have a tribe, Tulip." She chuckled, but it was a rather humorless one. "My father was a colored man. They told me he lived with our people for a while, a number of free men did, but...when we were forced to move from our lands, the three of us fled. I was too young to really remember much. All life I've been on the run."

Tulip and Charles shared an understanding look, she just sighed again, appearing solemn.

He continued. "A couple years later, some soldiers captured my mother, took her somewhere. We never saw her again." He looked to the side, staring at the path of dirt behind them. "We drifted around... He was a very sad man and the drink had a mean hold on him. Around thirteen..." He fiddled with his healing hand, his mouth a firm line. "I just took off on my own..."

Willow's eyes slightly widened, she whispered and looked off to the side. "Thirteen..."

Hosea responded, "That was about the age when we found young Arthur here, maybe a little older. A wilder delinquent you never did see." His voice was laced with a small sense of amusement, in a way. "But he learned fast."

"Not as fast as Marston, apparently." Arthur said.

Charles shifted his body towards them, "Wait, I don't understand. What's the problem between you two?"

"Arthur?"

His tongue briefly licked his slightly chapped lips. "Eh... It's a long story."

Willow leaned on Tulip, "Yeah, quite a long story, it is. Might as well save it an' retell that 'round the campfire."

"I've noticed you use sign language." Charles addressed Tulip, who had her full attention now.

Willow chirped, "Oh, can ya read 'em?"

Charles nodded. "Some, yes. But I've been wondering about your tribe."

Tulip gestured Willow, while the silent woman pulled out her own journal. "She told me a few stories about them."

"And you reckon that those are true?"

She nodded, smiling at a fond memory. "Yeah...yeah. It's 'cause I've met one of her parents before, once. Tulip doesn't have a colored parent though." She played with her hands. "Before they...passed away, I learned a few things in their language. But just like ya, she only got a few bits of memories with her tribe before her family broke away."

"You were separated from your tribe?"

"Mm-hm..."

"It's still a lil' personal, so I ain't got the real reason why or how it happened. But eventually, she and her parents were pushed away an' they, too, drifted 'round."

"The life you've had must've been rough for you as well."

Hosea joined in, "We've all had our hardships and unfortunately saw the...uglier sides of life. The Miss Tulip you see right now is nothing like the woman back then. Unless you provoke her in any way, then you may have to kill yourself before she gets to you." She cowered behind her leather-bound book, while Charles had a look of disbelief. "But don't let that get to ya. Tulip is only like that when one of us is in danger."

"What's your real name?" Charles questioned.

This time, Tulip's head shot up from her journal. There was something deep within those eyes of hers that peered into the depths of his soul.

Willow answered, her expression had a shadow of concern. "Tulip's her real name. If you're askin' 'bout her last name, it's nothing important. Well, of course it's important, but it's 'cause it..."

Arthur helped Willow on it, "Some things just don't bring up good memories. That's all."

Hosea looked to Tulip, whose eyes were sorrowful and miserable. "We all try to forget some part of ourselves. Her name's one of 'em."

The conversation regarding the mysteries around her ended, the horses strolled endlessly through the dirt path. They didn't see any of the others from the gang however, which prompted Arthur to ask with uncertainty. "We still...headin' the right way?"

"That depends...are we still headin' West, in search of fortune, and repose in virgin forests, as we planned? No." Hosea was still uptight about Dutch's decision. "Are we heading in the correct direction on our desperate escape from the law eastwards down the mountains? Yes, I believe so."

Tulip was busy drawing on her journal's pages, Willow was watching the animals of nature run their normal ways of life.

Charles asked, "Do you know this area?"

Hosea relaxed on the seat, recalling ancient memories of the past. "A little, I've been through a couple of times. There's a livestock town not too far from here, called Valentine. Cowboys, outlaws, working girls. Our kind of place."

"O'Driscolls?" Arthur questioned.

"Probably them too."

"Pinkertons?"

"Let's hope not." He watched the calm river wash over the smooth stones on their right. "And this place we're goin'...wait, what's it called again?"

"Horseshoe Overlook."

Willow popped her head up, alert and elated like a giddy gopher. She looked to Tulip, only to see her glance up from her book and smile.

"It's a good place to lie low?"

"It'll do for now." Hosea replied, "And how low do you think Dutch is really going to be?" Arthur took a short look at Hosea from the side of his vision. "It's just...you know, maybe it's me who's changed, not him, but,we kept telling him that ferry job didn't feel right."

Willow caught Tulip's pencil has stopped wiggling and moving across the pages of her book, they both exchanged looks.

"You and me had a real lead in Blackwater that could've worked out."

Arthur huffed, not wanting to pick up such a nasty memory of the shootout. "Maybe."

"It just... Isn't like Dutch to lose his head like that."

Meanwhile, Charles was quietly listening to their conversations while he was peering at the world and wilderness, The Heartlands was a beautifully green temperate grassland.

"Things go wrong sometimes... People die." Willow felt a pang in her heart. "It's the way it is, always have been." Arthur had a hurtful expression. "Me, you, Dutch...we've all been in this line of work for a long time, and we're still here, so... I figure we must've got it right a hell of a lot more than we got it wrong."

There was a fork upon the road and he took the left, Hosea was busy grinding something in a bowl. Something which Tulip could instantly recognize the contents of the powdery plants.

"What're you workin' on there anyway?"

"Just some yarrow and ginseng, good for the health. Better than that stuff you buy in the store. Here, you can have all this." Arthur inspected the bowl. "I'm at the point where I can do it with my eyes closed."

"Oh, okay, thank you."

Willow saw the rocky outcrops scattered throughout this region, the bedrock being shown and reaching into the skies just like the trees. "Look at those blue birds." Tulip spotted a blue jay swooping in the air. "This is so much better than Ambarino, that place was jus' deserted, both animals and humans."

"It's the storm and the time of the year, we've picked the worst timing. You get to see some animals roaming about." Charles said.

Willow laughed, "I don't think it's like that though!" She pointed to the far open land that unendingly stretches towards the horizon. Trees and rocky formations carve out the landscape, "Look at them bucks, their horns are different." Tulip tapped her shoulder, and spelled it out using signs. "Pronghorns? They're real fast." The girls and Charles watched a whole herd of them get spooked by the wagon, fleeing with dashing speed.

"Least we got plenty of game here."

"Let's make haste, Arthur."

"Sure." With that, he slapped the reins and they all were waiting to reach their new, temporary home. "Yaw!"

They spotted someone up ahead. "There you are, brother. Head in there and follow the track for a bit."

"Thanks."

"Let me guess, we took too long an' Dutch sent ya so we couldn't get our sorry selves lost?" Willow replied.

He was leaning on a boulder, smoking. "Pretty much. Okay, slow up, I'll jump on." He climbed and held onto the side of the wagon. "Okay, let's go."

"Any trouble gettin' in here, Javier?" The old con man asked. "Nope, it went well. This is a good spot."

"Excellent, you can thank Tulip for it. I think this'll work for us, Arthur. For now, anyway." The trees provided good coverage of the hideout, Tulip was only lucky that she knew of such a spot. The camp was already up and some were still being setup, "Here we are, ladies and gentlemen. Home sweet home."

Dutch was standing, smiling with an air of pride hanging around him. "You and Tulip weren't wrong, Hosea. This place is perfect!"

"I hope so."

They all hopped off of the carriage, Willow stretched, it was some lengthy traveling. But it had its scenic routes. She yawned, "Wow, what a ride."

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have survived."

"For now."

Dutch was waving Uncle off, who was sitting at the table with Tilly, "Now, it is time to prosper."

Everyone was bustling about, Hosea reminded Dutch. "Arthur and I were about to prosper in Blackwater." They three of the men sat. "We were on to something big...then Micah got all excited about that ferry and here we are." Hosea flicked his hand, gesturing, and frowning.

"We have all made mistakes over the years, Hosea." He stood up slowly, and had a challenging tone. "Every last one of us." Willow and Tulip were at the back of the wagon they rode in, observing. "But I kept us together. Kept us alive. Kept the knooses off our neck."

He looked to each and every person in the camp, Dutch walked off and the pair of girls walked over, carefully watching. Few of the others within the camp kept an eye and watched the scene also. Charles was off and cutting firewood at the opposite end of the camp.

Hosea placed a hand on Van Der Linde's shoulder. "I guess I'm just worried." Tulip listened intently, his voice was true and genuinely caring. "I ain't got that long, Dutch, I want these folks to be safe before I go." Tulip kept those words burned into her mind, suddenly anxious about a haunting thought. But she pushed it away fairly quickly.

"Me too."

"And now we're stuck...east of the Grizzlies and out of money..." Hosea reminded him of the situation, almost tripping over his own words. "And a long way from our dream of virgin land in the west."

Dutch spoke sternly. "I know, my brother, but we are safe. We make a bit of money here, then we move again...head out around them, be west of Uncle Sam...in a few months buy some land."

"I hope so..."

"Would you just look around you, this world has its consolations." He walked towards the cliffside to look at the world.

"Gentlemen," Mr. Strauss walked over to them. "I'm going to head into the local town, and you know...see if I can strike up a little business."

"Of course, Herr Strauss." Dutch replied, a fancy cigar sitting neatly between his fingers with shiny rings. Willow and Tulip were moving and unloading the carriages, while keeping an ear out for the conversation between the three men. "I prefer robbing banks to usury...seems more dignified, somehow."

"Tulip, ya alright? Hosea's fine...there's nothin' wrong and to worry 'bout." Willow whispered.

She nodded slightly, doing her best to keep herself from being distracted. They saw Dutch turn to the crowd. "Now, everyone, put your tools down for a moment." He rallied them, and everyone wasted no time in obeying without a word. "Come on gather around, quickly now. I know that things have been tough... but we are safe now, and we are far from too poor. So it is time, for everyone to get to work."

Hosea added, "Get to work, but stay out of trouble. Remember we are itinerant workers."

"Laid off when they shut down our factory to the North. Now get out here, and see what you can find." Dutch pointed to the two men, "Uncle, Reverend Swanson...no more passengers."

The entire crowd laughed, but mainly the women. Willow shook her head and internally groaned. Men. Tulip just lowered her head, so her hat could mask her grin.

"It is time for everyone to earn their keep."

"There's a town a little way down the track...name of Valentine." Hosea pointed. "Livestock town. All mud and morons if I remember right. That seems a decent place to start."

Mr. Pearson stepped up, "And we need food...real food, that means every day, one of you."

"And remember..." Dutch held a reddish brown, metal box. "Whatever it is that you find..." He slammed it on top of a barrel that was positioned next to his tent. "The camp gets its slice. Now be sensible out there."

Everyone dispersed, Grimshaw was briefly speaking with Arthur. Willow tapped Tulip's arm and they both went back to their wagon, the girls of the camp were already preparing cot and a tent. It wasn't long however, that they heard shouting.

"There goes Miss Grimshaw again." Willow rolled her eyes.

"Miss Jackson! I've seen shit with more common sense than you! Do it properly!"

Willow yawned once again, "It's been a long day hasn't it? I'm burned out."

Now that they were off the mountains, the cold, dark days were past them. Tulip was mighty glad that everyone in camp were relieved and were recovering once again. She found it unbelievable that Tulip was back in the eastern parts rather than Nevada, or thereabouts.

She was back home.

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Arc 1, Colter - End.

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A/N : Now here we go, off of Ambarino and now in New Handover. With the time gap between Ch1 and Ch2 in-game, I'll be filling those in with my OC scenarios and pretty much everything else from the game.

Published : Dec.24, 2018