Okay- First off, thanks for whoever read this.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Hatfields and McCoys only my characters.
I would like to say sorry about the albino thing if I was not or am not correct about it. Second; I know he doesn't get called Cap till he gets his eye splintered but I really couldn't picture him without the whole name Cap so I kept it as is.
I know none of this, in my story, is historically accurate, like, at allbut I am kind of following the time line but changing the years.
It might not make sense so if you have questions, feel free to ask, in the words of my grandmother, "No question is to short or to stupid, to smart or to long. So in short, ask me the damn question already."
Constructive criticism is welcomed.
Charlotte and Cap stopped in the forest, the less open part and got off their horses. They tied the reigns to trees and they got their pistols and rifles. Charlotte picked up a few rocks in which Cap raised and eyebrow.
"So, Willelmus Anderson Hettfeld Jr., do you usually hunt deer, birds or McCoys?"
Cap looked at her. 'What?"
"What I said?"
"Yeah, Willelmus or whatever. What is that?"
"Latin for William Anderson Hatfield Jr."
"Latin? Well I'll be damned, lil' Miss Charlotte Quinn is a partially educated woman."
She chuckled. "Damn straight."
Cap looked at a Turkey and shot it. "So, where'd you, of all people, learn Latin?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I wouldn't expect you to learn Latin."
She huffed and watched him walk over to the Turkey.
"I learned it from that guy- Perry Cline, he's mighty nice."
"He is an Attorney, I reckon, yeah?"
"Mh-hm. Got my pappy and my brothers out of some deep shit."
"Quite your swearin'."
"Why?"
"Because I do believe, Charlotte, you're scarin' away my dinner."
She rolled her eyes. ''Oh hush up. I ain't done nothin' that you ain't gone and done first."
After a few minutes of silence Cap spoke up. "Why was your maw yellin'? Did you not only make a pass at my brother but did you kiss that stupid heathen too? What is his name... Oh yes, Toadbert."
"Oh hush up." She said while laughing. "His name is Tolbert and all I did was make a pass at Johnse. That's it."
"He's two years older then me, meaning three years older than you."
"Like I didn't know that... He is nineteen I reckon."
"That he is."
"And oh I'm in the company of a one seventeen year old William Hatfield."
"That is correct, got a problem with that?"
"No sir, just me thinkin' that, you are only one year older than me yet I can still kick your ass and have you running back to your momma."
"That hasn't happened in years."
"It happened ten years ago, If my memory is correct."
"Okay, I told you, I needed flowers for my maw because she was ill but still doing chores and she had an empty jar which she used for flowers so I need those roses and yet you sat on me to prevent me from having them."
"I guess I showed who really needed them there flowers." She said while smiling a little.
She trained her revolver on a rabbit and sighed. She closed her eyes and shot it. "I hate shootin' little rabbits. They're so cute and fluffy and I go and end their happy little lives."
"Better you than a snake, that is."
"I s'pose you're correct."
She went and got it, tying it to her horse, and then sat on a rock.
"Remember that time you got really scared because of that one big raging thunder storm and you and I were outside in that little cave opening and you kept saying 'It's alright to be scared, just don't let it change who you are.' Because your grandpappy told you that."
"Yes, I remember that. I was thirteen and eleven of my brothers, the ones who were born, came lookin' for me, and you and I waited it out till morning and ended up walking home through mud."
"And you fell asleep on me."
"That was you."
"No, I do recall you cuddling me."
"That was you."
"Charlotte, admit it, you fell asleep on me."
"I did not!"
"Just the same, you kissed me because you wanted to thank me for stayin' with you and not ditchin' you."
"I thought it was better than flowers!"
"It sure was." He said while grinning at her.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Why were you out in the rain anyway, Will?"
"Because I was suppose to be getting some logs. That was before it started raining. Why were you out in the rain."
"Do you not remember the cuts and bruises."
"If they were there, hardly saw 'em through the rain."
"The blood?"
"Must'a washed off."
"Then there's no use in explaining."
"Tell me anyway."
"My father was angry, and drunk."
She said silently. She thought back.
He had just came through the door, stumbling and slurring, as usual and he was looking for a kid to hit. All of the boys looked down and ran up the stairs, I, on the other hand, was an idiot and looked him in the eye.
"Pappy?" I questioned. Alan Joseph was staring wide eyed, trying to think, whether to get me and haul me up the stairs or leave me to take the beating of all eleven of my brothers and myself. He looked at me and I nodded my head towards the stairs. He looked at me sadly and ran up them, as fast as he could, hustling my other brothers along. My mother had walked in.
"Evening Charlie." She said to my dad. "How was the shop?"
"It's fine, now get me some food." He said forcibly.
She ran and hustled to get his food, soon setting it in front of him. Sure, I could've left at any time to not get swung at, but let my mother take the pain, hell no.
"Where's my whiskey!?"
"You've already had enough."
"I want my whiskey!" He roared angrily.
"Charles, you've already had enough." He stood up and slapped her. "I want my whiskey, bitch!"
My mom held her cheek and nodded. As he ate, and drank whiskey he kept glancing at me.
"What're doin' here girl, ain't you s'pose to be in bed?"
I swung my feet, I was very short at the time.
"Short then! You're short now!" Cap said, breaking me from thought.
"Shut up and let me talk."
I sat there and looked at my mom.
"She's just helping me with chores."
"No she ain't. She'd done been sittin' there for hours I reckon!" He yelled.
I looked at my mother again. My eyes scanned the area where she was yet no mother to be found. I looked towards the grounded. He had stood up and struck her down.
He kicked her and punched her, she was pregnant at that time and thank God the baby wasn't lost.
I stepped in as my mother screamed and ran up the stairs, my brothers whispering and staring over the railing. I know what your thinking, "They should've stepped in!" or "They need to get a move on and defend you!" But that only would've made my father angered and more hateful.
I spoke up. "Don't you hurt my momma like that."
"Shuddup." SLAP!
"You can't hurt me like you used to you bastard."
SLAP! KICK! PUNCH!
I squeezed my eyes shut as I was hurt and kicked.
I felt him pin me down and a cold barrel was put to my head. He had a gun and was gonna shoot me.
BANG!
But that shot wasn't from his gun, but from Alan's. At first I thought it was Dale, but it was Alan, and by God Almighty was I greatful.
"Not today you sonofabitch."
He said that so quickly it was like your words weren't spaced, at all. His gun was pointed at my dad's shoulder. The bullet wa sstuck in his shoulder.
He grabbed my arm and hauled me up, handing me the gun and pushing me towards the door.
"Run." He whispered. The door was flung open by Dale, then he pushed me out. My father swung at Alan and Dale and five of my brothers tackled my dad, giving him what he gave me. Alan waved and was tackled by my father.
Soon, it started pouring. My dad managed to get out from under my brothers and ran at me. So I ran really fast and turned around, pointing the gun at him, shooting him in the leg. He fell over and I ran shot him, missing his leg but grazing it, still.
I ran fast and got as far away as I could from my father's sickly sweet voice, trying to find me to do God knows what to me.
Then I ran into you.
"I guess afterwards you dragged me to that cave thing." I said while dragging my foot around.
Cap looked at me. "I'm sorry- I should not have asked."
"It's fine."
"It wasn't my place."
"I said, it's fine."
He looked at me. "You're brave you know that."
"Am not."
''Yeah you are. Gotta lot of courage in that little body of your's."
"I'm not little!"
"You're what, three feet tall?"
I punched his arm, hard.
"Ow!"
"I'm four foot eleven you asshole."
'I'm six foot one."
"Lucky you."
After they had shot a few more things, it got dark. They decided to head back.
"Will."
"Yes, Charlie?"
She sighed. 'I'm going to a proper school."
"What?"
"I'm going to a school in Richmond to learn to be a 'lady' or whatever shit that means."
"Probably no swearing."
"Wait-"
"Or shootin'."
"But-"
"Or being the Charlotte Quinn I know."
"But that ain't all kinds a fair!"
"I know. But I know this because my momma, went to one before she met my pa and apparently they couldn't change her, but she changed the school. Her spitfire attitude got her shipped back here after two years."
"Oh."
"I reckon it'll do be the same for you."
"Excuse you, Hatfield?"
''All I'm sayin' is, you're all shoot first, ask questions later sometimes. You're hot-headed and you have a spitfire attitude."
Charlotte narrowed her eyes at him. "You arrogant asshole!"
She held up her gun.
"OKay!" He shouted, holding up his hand. "Careful, don't wanna have it ricochet off a tree."
She cocked it. "Don't wanna have it ricochet off your thick skull."
After some explaining she fired it at a tree and it ricocheted and hit a bird.
She went and picked it up, tying it to her horse. "Idiot." She sent her horse into a swift gallop.
"When ya leavin' for Richmond!?" Cap yelled.
She looked at him. "Tomorrow afternoon!"
He watched after her.
After that afternoon, the next day, he wouldn't see her for another nine years.
