Western RP: play thread

"You should know this..." Buddy found himself somehow weak in her presence now, open and vulnerable, if only for this night, in this moment.
"about Sarah..." he wondered how much he should say of the story, the truth of everything that had-- and had not-- happened.

"When I met her, it was the lowest time of my life... I haven't had an easy way of it, not much in the way of family to call my own... I was a fighting man, in the Army, for a time, under the command of Charles Posthelwaite ((see Kevin Costner's OPEN RANGE for some few more details on this))... we were allowed... commanded to do some very bad things in the name of freedom and democracy... I was a pretty fair shot with a rifle, at purt near any range, and I was called upon to put the skill to good... evil... use.

After I left the Army, I thought i could leave it all behind, all the killing, everything... but, there are some folk out there who won't let it lie, let it alone, leave it be and let it die... dreams and those people haunt me...

Sarah saw past all that past, the history of death and hatred for our fellow man, and she made me love her for that caring... same as you, here now... but she was so much more than I could manage, she wanted, needed more, always more... I couldn't keep up, couldn't keep her, and could hardly hope to even try... men of wealth and power moved in, swept across the West from the East, and took over... I promised to marry her, everything was set, but the time was never right, my head and heart just weren't in it...

I couldn't shake the nightmares from my head, except in the bottom of a bottle of whiskey... and so, I spent a great deal of time in those bottles, and less and less time and attention on Sarah... and she needed that time and attention, and found it in another's arms... I lost everything the night I challenged that man to No Limit Hold'Em poker...

that's why I ran away from camp the night I heard of your engagement, not because I don't care, but because I DO! There are still so many things I have to face before I can take a woman as my wife, demons to conquer, dreams to fulfill...

it won't be truly right being with you, until I have put everything else from my past to rest... I hope you can manage the wait, I don't know how long it might be. But, if you can't, and if the safety and security of your people and your fiancee's tribe is that important to you now, I will understand...

do you understand, Beautiful Flower?"

he looked at her sideways, and smiled, shaking his head slightly...

Catori had fallen fast asleep there in his arms, by the warm glow of the campfire, while he opened his whole heart to her...

((or at least, maybe she was faking it... like women sometimes do! 😄 ))

Luis ate a little more, and threw what was left of his serving at the deputy. It landed just short of his feet.

"Ohhh, you're the feisty Vaquero, aren't ya?" the warden chuckled, kicking the plate of gruel away. "We'll just see what's left of that fire once the Inquisitor arrives... I've seen a great many men, bigger, stronger, more full of vim and vigor than any of your ilk, spend an afternoon under the care of the Inquisitor, and be hauled back to their cell with not a single wit about them, unable to walk, let alone lift a finger or a fist in defiance... or resistance... amazing really, the things one man can do with a darning needle, a straight razor, salt and a lantern... frighteningly amazing... -heh-heh-heh-

he went on about some manner of paperwork, apparently involving the WANTED POSTERS of the captured convicts...

Catori yawned. "Uh huh uddy...I'll always wait for you." she said before drifting off to sleep. Nothing could go wrong.

Miko watched Catori and Buddy. he was seething. Stealing away from the others he headed towards Albenine. he would strike a deal with the white men!

😱 DOH!

cowboy blue_bandana red_indian hangrip

Okay the first one is greg the second Luis the third catori and the fourth Buddy but who's the fifth...Lily?

People, it's spelled "Abilene" ✅ 😛 😉

Luis started to feel a little uncomfortable thinking about this torture business... He'd had less severe forms of physical punishment--whippings, and even nearly gotten himself branded once, but nothing like this sounded.

(Dr, quit correctin' me. I can't say words like that much less spell them. 😛 Just kidding)

((I was just thinking that with the law cowboys, the blue bandana boys, and now the Indians against them, that all of Reno's Renegades would soon be strung up and dead... hence, the DOH!))

(That's sad)

Buddy was up before dawn, and was busily tending to something when Catori awoke a bit later. His back was to her, but it was obvious he wasn't tending the fire, something else was in his hands. He sensed her eyes on him, and turned, smiling.

He had a wreath of daisy and other flower blossoms, fashioned to a length of twine, and tied awkwardly around the large off-white stone Buddy had unearthed from the mine the other day, before their 'deaths'...

"It's nowhere near as tidy and neat and precious as a ring around your finger..." he admitted, slipping the simple silly little charm over her head,
"But, as long as you wear it around your neck, I will never be far from your heart..." he smiled at her and kissed her on her forehead.

"Good morning, Flower..."

((my character's aren't dying... I know they're not super heroes or anything, and that any ordinary person's fate would be sealed but... I grow attached to my characters 🙁 ))

((well, Emilio Estevez said it best as William H Bonney aka Billy the Kid in Young Guns II, when he said : 'Make no mistake about it, if they catch us we will hang... but There's many a slip twixt a cup and a lip... hee hee!' let's just hope it holds true here 😄 ))

Greg fingered the small knife in his boot. He had had plenty of times to use it, and get out of here, but he had to wait for the opertune moment (you can thank Capt. Jack Sparrow for that line). He would probably have to wait until they came in to get them for the hanging, but whatever worked...

*next morning*

Luis snapped awake to the sound of a deputy clanging on the bars with a small wooden club. "Wake your thievin' murderin' asses up, you bastard sons of b!tches! Time for your meeting with... THE INQUISITOR!"

Catori smiled at Buddy. "Thank you." she said looking at the necklace he had made. SHe gingerly fingered the flowers. "I want to be close to your heart too." she said trying to think of a way she could.

Buddy stepped up close to Catori, embracing her warmly as the sun rose behind them. Her head rested on his chest, her ear vibrating with every beat of his heart beneath his ratty old shirt and heavy undershirt underneath.

"Hug me close like that, each morning, and often..." Buddy whispered kindly, "Never let go, and you'll always be so close to my heart..."

((OK, that should cover the sap quota for this much of the story so far... 😛 ))

"We should get moving..." he stepped back and took her face in his hands. "It's a long walk to Abilene... unless you think your tribe would trade for horses? if you think it's wise to go face Miko right now, that is, after everything that has happened this last night?"

He looked at her, waiting for her answer, then took note of another wooden panel beneath the ownership boilerplate of the WR diamond mine... the board was branded with an insignia in the shape of a BUFFALO and painted (the very same colors as Spike/Leo's belt buckle) and read 'PROTECTED BY BINGHAM'S BUFFALO SECURITY' and it was beneath that sign board that read TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT...

hmmm....

Catori shook her head. There was no way she could face Miko. "The others need our help." she replied. There was a stant look in her face.

Buddy nodded and smiled. "Alrighty then... we walk... and what a lovely day for a stroll... I believe it's 23 miles by roads to Abilene, maybe more, maybe less if we cross country. We have that advantage, being as most of this is Comanche country, or white man farmland where it has been tamed and claimed, taken from your people...
Keep weapons ready, though... white men, well, most of them, are more afraid of you than you are of them... and, we can guess how the Comanche scalpers will react seeing a white man in the company of a tribal princess of such beauty as you...

can you shoot a pistol? I would trade both my guns for my rifle right about now..."

They chatted and connected as they began the long walk to Abilene...

...meanwhile, in Abilene...

A new WANTED POSTER was being drawn up, including $2500 BOUNTY DEAD OR ALIVE above a picture of a dark haired woman.

"If you could give her blue eyes..." a voice suggested, and the artist dabbed 2 dots strategically marking the eyes of blue.

"Yep, that be her... mighty fine likeness any way, yessir..." Steven Sanders smiled from the Constable's office. "That's my sister... half-sister... her mother is a savage Comanche whore, or, well.. she was...

get that poster duplicated and circulated, as fast as possible, sir... and inform the Army commander I have arrived to discuss payment of his bounty for the others..."

Into the office then strode a rather tall, gaunt, slight wisp of a man, who hardly cast any shadow, he was so skinny. He wore black slacks and shoes, not boots, black vest and crevatte over a dark gray shirt, and heavy black topcoat and tall stove-pipe tophat. He carried a worn brown leather satchel in his black-gloved hands, and spoke in a whispered growl.

"Yessir, Mr. Sanders... we'll get the Army boys up here right a---" the Constable stopped short as the tall man entered. "Uhhh, is it time already?"

there was a pause as the man spoke, and the Constable nodded nervously, summoning one of his deputies.

"Go tell the cell master... the Inquisitor has arrived..."