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Then Caleb saw it, the shift in Arthur's expression. It was subtle at first, but then it was like a flood hit Arthur's face, it shows a flash of sorrow, a furrow of pain, a clench of the jaw that screamed of old regrets. There was love in his eyes, buried deep beneath anger and confusion. Caleb didn't need to ask who the letter was from, it was from Ms. Mary Linton.
Arthur stood motionless, staring at the letter as if it had come from a ghost.
Caleb stepped forward quietly, not wanting to startle him. "Arthur," he said gently.
Arthur turned his head slightly, not looking at him yet. "What do you want, Caleb?"
Caleb glanced at the letter but said nothing about it, like he didn't know the content of the letter. Instead, he spoke calmly, "Just saw you heading over here and then stood still. Wanted to check in. You alright?"
Arthur gave a low grunt. "No. Not really."
"Some bad news, I take it?" Caleb asked, both of his hands on his gun belt.
Arthur's gaze now flicked to him, more sharp and guarded. "Nothin' that concerns you, Caleb."
"Is it someone from your past then? A woman named Mary?"
That got a reaction. Arthur's eyes narrowed. "The hell do you know about Mary?"
Caleb put his hand up in a calming gesture, palm open, voice as steady and easygoing as he could manage.
"Relax, Arthur," he said with a calm tone. "I was just guessing… looks like I guessed right."
Arthur's eyes remained fixed on him, intense and unwavering, but something shifted in his jaw. He didn't speak right away.
Instead, he folded the letter in his rough, calloused hands, hands that had pulled triggers, swung fists, and held onto people he loved only to lose them. With deliberate care, he slid the letter into his satchel, never taking his eyes off Caleb.
Then he took a single step forward.
"Guessin', huh?" Arthur muttered. "So how'd you know it was from her, and guessed it at first try?"
Caleb's heart kicked up a beat. He hadn't expected that to be Arthur's next move. There was still some edge in Arthur's voice, not a full threat, but not far from it either, more than just curiosity. Suspicion, maybe. A kind of reflex honed from years of betrayal and pain.
Caleb's mind spun like a roulette wheel. Arthur was sharp, but so was he, and with an above average Luck stat and a finely tuned Perception stat, he relied on instinct more than most. And right now, that instinct kicked into high gear as he utilized his Persuasion skill as well.
He lowered his hand slowly, kept his stance neutral but respectful, and spoke, tone measured.
"Honestly?" Caleb said. "I've heard bits and pieces around camp. The girls talk sometimes. Pearson, too, he runs his mouth when he's had enough to drink. Talked about some girl you were real fond of, named Mary. Didn't say much else. And as for the letter…" He shrugged, "I put two and two together when I saw the look on your face. Hurt, anger, affection, all mixed up. Figured it had to be someone from your past."
Arthur blinked. His shoulders sagged a little, and then he looked away, down at the dirt beneath their boots. A long, slow breath escaped him, and it wasn't laced with tension this time. Just tiredness. Memories.
What Caleb said made sense to Arthur, camp gossip was inevitable, and he was also someone who wasn't exactly subtle with his emotions.
"…Damn," Arthur muttered, rubbing his face with one hand. "Didn't think it showed. Thought I kept it all in."
Caleb gave a small chuckle and wiped at the sweat on his brow, not realizing until that moment that it had broken through his skin, and also let out a slow breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The pressure in his chest slowly began to ease. That was too damn close. A wake up call, for sure.
Caleb realized that he had been riding high since helping out in Valentine, defusing tension with the law, helping the girls settle in, and proving his worth. Folks in the gang warmed to him fast.
Even Dutch was the first one who give him approving nods and invite him to the gang, even though Caleb knew he also had interior motives.
But deep down, he knew he was still the new guy. And this? This was a mistake. Speaking too quickly about something that wasn't his business. The others didn't know about his Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX), his knowledge of their lives from another time. He'd gotten too comfortable, too fast.
It took seeing Arthur, the usually calm and brotherly Arthur, wear the mask of an outlaw for him to realize it. It had been a stark reminder, these weren't just characters from a story. They were real outlaws, with real tempers.
If Arthur hadn't calmed, if Caleb hadn't thought quick…
He gave a slow exhale and glanced back at Arthur, who now seemed to be mulling over everything. Caleb decided to gently break the silence.
"You wanna talk about it?" he asked. "I'm a good listener. And I'm not like the others, I don't have a stake in any of this. I'm impartial."
Arthur looked at him for a long moment. Then he nodded, slowly.
"Yeah. Sure. Let's go somewhere quieter."
He gestured toward the back of the camp, toward the cliffside behind the main campfire. It was a quiet stretch where few wandered unless they wanted space to think. Caleb followed in silence, boots crunching lightly on the dirt and pine needles, the sounds of camp life fading behind them.
They reached the edge of the cliff, where the land fell away into rolling hills and misty forests in the far-off distance. The sun had begun its slow descent, painting the sky with brushstrokes of gold and blood orange.
Arthur stopped, lifted his head slightly toward the heavens, and breathed in deeply. Caleb stood a short distance away, hands resting lightly on his belt, waiting.
At first, he thought they'd just stay like this, bathed in the quiet. But then Arthur spoke, his voice low, gravelly, tinged with bitterness, sorrow, and something else too. Longing, maybe.
"She wrote to me. Outta the blue," Arthur began. "Said she saw some of the girls in town. Heard about someone that sounded like me. Asked if I could come see her."
He paused, eyes scanning the horizon.
"Said she's been livin' in Valentine. At Chadwick Farm. Just north of town. Said she's been there for a few months now. Not saying her reason why she was here, saying that it was a long and uninteresting one."
Caleb raised an eyebrow to act like he was surprised but said nothing, letting Arthur talk.
"And all I could think was… why now?" Arthur continued. "Why the hell now? After everything she said. She was the one who told me to stay away and that we shouldn't speak again. Chose to marry some fool with money, some 'respectable' life that was chosen by her family. Said I'd never be the kind of man who could provide her the security she wanted. That it was over."
His voice dipped low with a tremble of anger.
"Part of me's furious," Arthur admitted. "She doesn't get to waltz back in like she ain't the one who left. But the other part…" He trailed off, scowling. "The other part's weak. Wants to see her. And I hate that."
Arthur exhaled, short and sharp. As for Caleb, he nodded slowly, eyes thoughtful.
"You feel like she's tryin' to pick up where things left off," he said quietly. "And you don't know if you want that… or if you can even trust it."
Arthur chuckled, bitterly. "I don't know what I feel. I'm mad, yeah. But… I want to see her again. Even if it's just once. Even if I gotta get my heart broken again."
Caleb gave a small smile. "Love's like that. Don't matter how much it burns you, sometimes you can't help reachin' for the fire again."
Arthur shot him a sidelong glance. "You sound like you speak from experience."
"Maybe," Caleb smirked. "Or maybe I just read too many books."
Arthur snorted, but some of the tension left his frame. "So what would you do, genius? Ignore her? Ride into Valentine like some damn knight in shinin' armor?"
"Neither, Arthur," Caleb said. "You go because you want to. Not for her, for you. Either you see her and close that door for good, or you find out there's somethin' still there. But you don't let fear or pride or any emotions make the choice for you. Let your mind decide it himself."
Arthur was silent for a long time. Then, grudgingly said, "Ain't bad advice, Caleb."
"I'm full of 'em," Caleb said dryly.
Arthur chuckled, but his expression sobered quickly. "Problem is, Dutch's got plans. We're supposed to be looking for leads while he found a way out for us, and he had been tense since Micah's death. If I ride into Valentine for personal business and not scouting leads even though it concerns Mary…"
"Then don't tell him," Caleb said simply. "Tell him you're scoutin' leads. I'll back you up."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "You'd lie to Dutch for me?"
"I'd lie to the devil for a friend," Caleb said. "And yeah, Arthur. I consider you one."
Arthur stared at him, then shook his head with a faint smile. "Hell, maybe you are too smart for your own good, Caleb."
They stood there together in silence for a while, watching as the sun dipped lower and the sky burned brighter with color.
As they began walking back toward camp, Arthur looked at him and said, "You got a good head on your shoulders. Just… be careful what you say sometimes. This gang's got a long memory, and not all of us are as patient as me."
Caleb nodded seriously. "I hear you. Lesson learned."
The next morning, Caleb was cleaning his Navy revolver with a gun oil when Arthur approached him.
"Changed my mind," Arthur said without preamble. "I'm ridin' to see Mary. But I ain't goin' alone."
Caleb looked up. "Oh? Then with whom you're going with?"
"You're comin' with me," Arthur said. "Consider it payback for the advice. Plus, if things go sideways while I'm in Valentine, I'd rather have someone watchin' my back and who better than the local hero, Mr. Caleb Thorne."
Caleb's eyebrows shot up at Arthur's request. Holstering his freshly cleaned Navy revolver, he stood and brushed dirt from his pants. "Arthur, I ain't sure I should be there for that. This is between you and Mary. There's other ways you can pay me back, hell, buy me a drink next time we're in town."
Arthur's shoulders stiffened for a moment, then relaxed as he exhaled. "…You're right. My apologies, Caleb. Didn't mean to drag you into my mess." He rubbed his neck, frustration flickering across his face.
He turned to go, the conversation seemingly over, but then stopped and looked back.
"But look, my offer still stands, just not the same way. I don't want you at the farm. But Valentine? That's another story. You said it yourself, people like you there. Me? Folks still give me the stink eye since that saloon brawl. If something happens while I'm there, if someone recognizes me, or some drunkard wants a rematch, I'd rather have you nearby. Just backup. Nothing more."
Caleb nodded slowly, the logic settling into place. "That's more reasonable."
Arthur gave a small, grateful nod. *So? We got a deal?"
Caleb smirked and offered a hand. "Deal. Just don't make me bail you out if she throws a lamp at your head."
Arthur chuckled as he shook his hand. "No promises."
They had just finished strapping their gear onto their saddlebags when a familiar voice rang out from the main tent.
"Arthur? Caleb? Where the hell you two off to?"
Dutch.
Caleb turned slightly, brushing some dust off his coat, letting Arthur take the lead.
Arthur turned toward the voice and answered without hesitation. "Valentine. Heard rumors about a bank wagon passing through, maybe today, maybe tomorrow. Figured we'd go scoutin', see if there's truth to it."
Dutch stepped out of his tent, cigar smoldering between his fingers, eyes narrowed but not suspicious yet.
"A bank wagon, huh?" he mused, chewing the edge of his cigar. "Well… that could be promising. Stay sharp. Don't cause a mess unless there's gold at the end of it."
Arthur gave a nod. Dutch waved them off, returning to his maps and mumblings, and the two men mounted up their horse, heading toward Valentine. As they entered into Valentine, a few townsfolk milling near the general store spotted Caleb and tipped their hats. "Mornin', Mr. Thorne!" one called.
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Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 5/10
- Luck: 6/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 2)
- Rifle (Lvl 2)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 2)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 1)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 2)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 2)
- Poker (Lvl 2)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 1)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 1)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lv1)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
Money: 965 dollars and 18 cents
Bank: 320 dollars, 4 gold bars, a large bag of jewelry, and 3 gold nuggets