Saphira sat on the bed for several hours, deep in thought. She knew now she was not dreaming, this was a world she had somehow fallen into. She didn't even know what brought her here. But, Saphira knew she could not tell anyone about what she knew. She knew doing that would probably get suspicion from everyone. However…she might be able to nudge the gang in a direction that would keep everyone alive. She hoped so anyway, but…she was still feeling very nervous. She didn't know if she could even find her voice at the moment.
She flinched when she saw a shadow cross over in front of the tent flap. "I am sorry if I am bothering you, Miss Saphira," Hosea's voice spoke in a gentle tone. "I brought you a bowl of stew, and I want to just check you over in case you are still feeling unwell."
Saphira was silent for a moment before she cleared her throat. "Thank you…you…uh…c-c-can come in." She grimaced a little and looked down at the dirt as Hosea pushed the flap open carefully and walked inside. She lifted her head slightly when her nose cause the aroma of the stew. "Smells good."
Hosea smiled slightly at her comment and nodded. "Yeah, our cook Mister Pearson does a fine job at keeping us all fed. I hope it will go down well. He put in venison into the stew, it's the main protein in it."
Saphira just listened, watching Hosea place it on the table. "Um…I-I am sorry…"
The man's bushy eyebrows raise slightly in surprise at her apology. "For what? You haven't done anything wrong, miss." She shrugged and stood up to walk over to the table and sit down to eat the stew. She stirred the stew with the spoon slowly. "Don't tell me you think of yourself as a burden?" She shrugged, which didn't give away much. "I don't believe you are a burden, Saphira. Anyway, are you still feeling dizzy?" She shakes her head and takes a mouthful of the stew, Saphira hummed a little as the rich, homely flavour tickled her taste buds. "Headache?" She shakes her head again. "Good..good. You don't look pale, so I don't think you have a fever. I guess we just need to know how you got there."
Saphira swallowed her mouthful and stirred the stew again, staring at the bowl. "I don't know."
"You don't know how you got there?" She shakes her head and tensed slightly, not knowing how to answer these questions. "I guess that explains how you were dizzy. But…" Hosea glanced at her clothes curiously. "Your clothes? We have never seen them before."
She glanced at the sleeves of her pyjamas and shrugged. "They are pyjamas…I wore these to bed…"
"Bed wear huh?" Hosea took a seat on the side of the bed and lifts his hand to his chin to rub gently. "That means you went to bed and woke up right?" She froze, she didn't know how to respond as he pretty much had his answer. "I am right, aren't I?" She said nothing, but she began to tremble a little. "Look, I don't know what your life was like before now. Though I hope no one had any ill intention towards you."
She looked up at Hosea with a sad expression. "I lived alone…with my dog…horses…chickens and garden," She responded slowly as tears fill her eyes. She shakes her head and shrugs. "I…I-I don't know how I got here."
She took a deep breath as her throat tightened, clenching her eyes shut as tears fell from her eyes. Hosea observed the girl silently, she did not appear to be lying given her reaction. "I apologize that this has happened to you." He stood up and walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder to rub gently to comfort her. "Is it possible we can take you home?"
Saphira shakes her head. "No…no…this is too far…"
"Are you certain?" Hosea looked at her with kind eyes, letting her know that they would help her get home. "If there are bad people out to get you, we can deal with them to help you live freely. That will not be a problem."
She knew Hosea meant well and sniffled a little. "It is very kind of you Hosea…only…I would not know how to get there." She stirred the stew some more as she thought on her answer. "Especially since I do not know how I got here."
The man nodded as he understood what she was saying. "I guess I understand. At least you are very welcome here. You should get into some fresh clothes and join the rest of the gang, they are very curious about you."
She tensed at that and shakes her head. "N-No…"
"They will not hurt you, Saphira." Hosea did not quite understand Saphira's hesitance, though he did want to pressure her. "Though, if you do feel uncomfortable, I completely understand. Take your time."
She hoped he meant it. She said nothing and Saphira finished off the stew. She almost lost her appetite while talking about this. Nonetheless, she was glad to have some food. She hasn't eaten for several hours until now, so this was a blessing in disguise.
"Hosea!" Saphira flinched upon hearing Dutch's voice. "Arthur has returned! He might have news on how Miss Saphira got here."
Hosea sighed a little and picked up the empty bowl. "I guess we might find some evidence as to how you got here." He pats her shoulder gently and walked towards the flap. "You might get to meet Arthur soon."
Saphira didn't know if she wanted to or not, but she felt her cheeks heating up at the idea of that. She was glad Hosea was not looking at her as he left and the flap closes behind him. She sat there at the table before she stood up and walked towards the flap, peering outside curiously. She saw Hosea walking towards Dutch, Dutch was gesturing for someone to walk over to him and she finally saw him. He was wearing a sky, blue shirt with rolled up sleeves, a red vest, brown hat and jeans that was slightly dusty, his face was clean shaven and his hair was slightly messy, but…Saphira could easily look past all that and see the broad shoulders she knew so well. She felt her cheeks heating up again as she saw him. She could not hear the conversation that was being said, but Saphira did not mind.
She turned her head away and walked back to the bed to sit on, she hummed softly as she thought about everything. She was happy she felt comfortable talking with Hosea, though to be honest it was not hard not to feel comfortable. Compared to most of the other gang members, Hosea showed the most compassion to others. He might be ruthless with a gun, but he still had a heart. And Saphira admired that about him.
"So you're telling me there was no evidence? None at all?" Dutch's voice asked, making Saphira flinch and she heard footsteps approaching. "Aside from the fresh steps you found of Hosea and Miss Saphira?"
"I already told ya twice!" The irritated voice she knew so well responded. "It looked like she just…appeared out of thin air. I saw no hooves nearby at all. Something's not right about all of this. We need to get this straight!"
"Calm down, Arthur. The girl is terrified as it is." Saphira was quickly nervous when she heard Hosea's voice and rushed around to the end of the bed, clutching the railing like she had before. "I just spoke with her and she told me she had no memory of how she got here. And I believe her. She showed no signs of deception."
"Oh yeah? Yet, there is not evidence!" Arthur huffed and she heard his footsteps getting closer to the tent. "Don't worry, I am not going to do anything to the girl."
"You better not, she seems like a nice girl," Hosea said in a calm tone. "Just…don't go barging in there like a raging bull. She likely can already hear you stomping towards her tent. Be a gentleman."
Arthur stopped and she could see the shadow of his body in front of the tent. She trembled and clenched her eyes shut. "Fine. I'll be nice. But…that really depends on what she has to say."
"She didn't say much earlier when she was afraid, I doubt Miss Saphira will tell you much. Don't push it, Arthur. I already told her that she is welcome to stay as long as needed and that she is protected and safe here. Don't cross that threshold, please." Dutch's voice held a tiny bit of concern, something Saphira didn't remember hearing much of in the game, though she recognized it.
She flinched when she flap opens, making her whimper a little, clutching the bed tightly. "Miss Saphira, is it?" Arthur's voice asked her, she quickly nodded silently and she heard him walk towards the table and take a seat. "My name is Arthur Morgan, I am one of the many members of this gang. I care very deeply about this family of mine, and I want to make sure it is safe." Saphira opened her eyes slightly and looked at Arthur, seeing him so close was still so much like a dream. "I went back to the place Hosea found ya, and I found nothing. Nothing to say you were placed there by another person. So…how did ya get here, hmm?"
Saphira was still trembling, she did not know what to say. "I…I…d-d-don't…know…"
"Bullshit!" Arthur took a deep breath, he could see how afraid the girl was, but he also did not want to believe her. "How did you get here? Ya even wearing strange clothes!"
"She told me it's bed clothes," Hosea interrupts calmly, getting a surprise look from both Dutch and Arthur. "What? I asked her."
The man chuckled slightly and turned his head, his green eyes locking with Saphira's own green eyes. "How did you get here?"
Saphira shakes her head, not knowing what to say. "I-I-I…r-r-really d-d-don't know…a-a-asking m-m-m-me…a h-h-hundred t-t-times won't get…the answer…I w-w-want to know too."
Arthur frowns a little at her response. "Sure. I don't believe ya. Where are ya from anyway?"
"Um…" Saphira knew she had to be careful about her answer before responding. "North Dakota…"
"That's a very long way from here," Hosea comments, his eyes were wide at the response. "I almost have no doubt you were drugged…but…if there is no evidence…that is the strangest thing."
Arthur grabbed out a cigarette and lit it, placing it on his lips to breath in and blow out some smoke, she grimaced a little at the smell of tobacco. "That is precisely what I am saying."
She glanced away from them and sniffled a little. "I'm sorry…I-I-I…r-r-really, r-really don't know h-how I got here. I-I d-d-don't w-w-want t-to h-hurt a-a-anyone."
"I never said you was going to hurt anyone. I don't think ya have bad bone in your body…but…this is still all so confusing." Arthur placed the cigarette to his lips again, breathing in the smoke and blowing it back out. He sighed deeply, the girl's body language definitely told Arthur she was not lying, but he didn't know what to believe. "I guess I better go before she gets even more upset."
Hosea nodded with a smile. "Good idea. Oh! Why don't you and Javier go to the Grandeur Jones homestead to find that horse? That might calm you down."
Arthur grumbled and stood up. "I just got back."
"I know, now you should go do something and not bother this poor girl." Hosea gestured for him to leave the tent and the man puffs more smoke before he left. Hosea turned to face Saphira with a kind expression. "I apologize Saphira. I promise he means no harm, he can be as fierce as a grizzly when he needs to be."
She smirked slightly, she knew what Hosea meant by that before standing up on shaky legs. "Um…s-s-so…w-w-what now?"
"That will be up to you, Miss Saphira," Dutch said in a calm tone. He had said nothing this whole time, he's just listened. "I don't think you are lying. I think this has confused the hell outta you as much as us." He paused for a moment and smiled at her. "What about meeting the rest of the ladies? They are a fine bunch."
"Eh, no thanks." Saphira swallowed nervously with a slight smile. "I…have had enough excitement."
"As you wish." Dutch turned to leave the tent to return to his own. "When you feel confident enough, we will be waiting. At least we are not moving camps for the time being."
Saphira said nothing, she did not know where they were exactly. She looked at Hosea. "Could I get some more water, please? I think…I might go to sleep."
"Sleep? It's only the afternoon." Hosea was surprised by that before frowning with concern. "Are you feeling fatigue, hmm?"
She shrugged. "I guess so…maybe a little dizzy again."
"Damn Arthur!" The man cursed in a frustrated voice. "Very well. I'll refill this jug for you. I hope you'll come out into the sunlight soon enough."
Saphira watched the man leave and she watched the flap close. She sighed and heard two pairs of hooves galloping away from the camp, making her guess that Arthur and Javier had left. It made her curious about this horse they were retrieving. And the place they were getting it from was somewhere she did not recognize.
But, Saphira doubted she would see it. She guessed they would get this horse and find someone to sell it for money. Though, it would depend on what kind of horse it was. She laid down on the bed, suddenly feeling exhausted. She shakes her head, this feeling really did not feel good. She wanted so badly to fit in…but…she had no idea where to start. And Arthur's hostile introduction wasn't exactly warming…but…Saphira honestly expected that from him. She did hope he wouldn't continue to have a hostile approach to her…though…if he didn't trust her now, it will be a long time before he actually trusted her. She had no idea what the others thought.
