Waverly caught her sister out of the corner of her eye standing in the center of the fort. It seemed to be a random eccentricity of hers to momentarily stop to think. She approached her from behind, peeking her head by her shoulder before breaking her sister's focus.
"Have you found it yet?" she asked.
"What, no," Wynonna sighed as she looked around the fort. "I believe it is still somewhere here."
"I feel like you would know where a gun would be, almost everyone here has the basic sword or farm tools," Waverly chuckled. "It was only a few years ago."
"Nine years ago," she reminded her, "I think I threw it… I know where daddy's gun is." Wynonna pushed past her sister and raced through the grounds until she reached the atrium. "Can you get me a shovel?"
"Why?" Waverly asked as her sister frantically paced around the garden.
"Just thought I would hone my horticulture skills, I think I remember where I buried it. Can you go get the shovel while I try no to destroy the garden?" Wynonna continued to walk around the small area, "Nevermind, I can just use my hands. I think… I have no idea. Wait… wait… no, nothing."
"Nothing what?" Nicole asked from the East Wing.
"Nothing, nothing," she dismissed, "what are you doing here?"
"My daily rounds, until I was informed that the Earp heir has been running around like a lunatic since dawn."
"I am looking for something important, a personal belonging," she cryptically told her, her eyes darting between the flower boxes. "So, skedaddle, young lass."
Nicole furrowed her brows at the phrase and rolled her eyes once she realized she was genuine in her rudeness while still distracted by the way she darted between two planters. "As you wish, Lady Earp. What are you doing?"
She shook her head and watched as Wynonna approached the planter by the West Wing. "I'm trying to find a family heirloom, so go away, Knacker."
"What did you just call me?"
Wynonna turned to face her, as well, "Look, Red, I would love to tell you all about my family's past, but I would rather not divulge Purgatory's secrets to an outsider," she huffed.
Nicole silently held herself together as she internally cursed her out. Waverly watched on as Wynonna knelt by a planter and began to search around the barren dirt.
"You shouldn't have said that, Wyn; it was uncalled for."
"She should not pry, it is quite rude," Wynonna defended. "Look, we cannot trust just anyone we meet, Waves, you should know that just as well as me. Life taught us that. Got it!" she muttered, pulling out an old dirty wrapped item from the planter. Unwrapping it, she revealed a slightly rusted gun that had been fairly ruined by the weather. She slumped on the ground, transfixed by the gun, "The only one of its kind. Gerald still makes ammunition, right?"
"If you get him the right tools, then yes. You should apologize to Nicole."
Wynonna looked up at her sister and shoved the gun into the waistband of her trousers, "We have other things to worry about now, wanna join?"
"What are you up to?"
"Follow me," she offered.
It hadn't been too much of an endeavor, but after taking the long walk to John Holliday's current residence, Waverly felt like she needed to tell at least one of their guards or Aunt about what her sister was doing. She got back to the manor, going separate ways as her sister attended her own affairs to keep up her end of their deal with Holliday. It only gnawed at her conscious even more once she spotted Nicole in the atrium. She was leaning over the railing of the gazebo with her head tilted up to watch the sky.
"Nicole?" Waverly called as she approached her.
"How was your time out?" she asked, still looking up at the clouds.
"I'm not quite sure what to make of it. It isn't my business anymore."
"Yet your sister chose to include you," she curtly responded, dropping her head to look at her mistress.
"I know Wynonna can be a pain and overly protective of Purgatory but-"
"I understand, but she didn't have to call me a knacker," she huffed, standing up straight, "I think I just need to take a step back. I appreciate your kindness, I think it is quite sweet, but this," she explained, pointing between them, "needs to be more professional, Lady Earp."
Waverly shook her head and immediately pled, "No, I enjoy our time together, please."
"You were correct in noticing my excentricities, but I really need to-"
She rejected her excuse and cut her off, "Forget what Wynonna said, she can often be completely selfish, why else do you think she fled Purgatory?"
"I have no clue as to why she left in the first place, no one will tell me what caused it. Nobody tells me anything except that those nomads past the mountain are dangerous."
"Purgatory is a particularly special fief, which is why it has been in our family for so long."
"Will you tell me how it is special?" Nicole frustratedly inquired. Earning no response, she huffed, "Nevermind, I'll see you during my rounds."
"Wait, Nicole, you were right," she quickly continued.
"Right about what?"
Waverly's heart pounded hard in her chest as she looked up at Nicole. Mustering up some courage she quickly grabbed a buckle on the other woman's jerkin and tugged her over, placing her hand behind her head and connecting their lips. Haught closed her eyes as she tried to regain her balance, reaching for the banister when Waverly pushed her back. She tracked her hand up to the younger lady's neck, resting her thumb on her jaw.
"Waves," she whispered, pecking her lips afterward.
"Yes?"
"Mm, nevermind," she chuckled before kissing her again.
Waverly tugged at the leather buckles of her top but soon felt defiant hands pluck them from their place and move around the back of her partner's neck. Nicole broke their kiss, resting her hands on Waverly's wrists. She glanced at her, smiling a bit as the realization of their actions began to warm her heart and made her head buzz with excitement. The other woman stood up on the balls of her feet and pecked her forehead.
"What now?" she quietly inquired, playing with the red hairs on the back of her neck.
"I… I have no idea," Nicole shrugged, leaning back against the banister. "We should probably be more careful about where we decide to be intimate," she advised, pulling Waverly's long hair over her shoulder. "I would hate for Wynonna to find yet another way to treat me like a child."
Even with her body still flooded with adrenaline, Waverly relaxed into Nicole, tucking into her dense shoulder. She almost wished she didn't have to let go of her, as for seemingly the first time she could actually relax and breathe. She thought she was stressed while ruling over Purgatory but with the reappearance of her sister, everything seemed to enclose around her like the deadly pythons she had once read about. Having Nicole by her side- potentially in a more intimate way now- brought clarity she thought had been lost with Curtis.
"You are a wonderful guard," she joked against her chest.
"Thank you for allowing me to stay. I quite enjoy it here; even more so now."
"Haught!" Wynonna called from the hallway, "Are you available?"
Nicole placed her hand on Waverly's hip to nudge her away before she turned to the other Earp, "Yes, ma'am?"
"Come on, I have a task for you… and some answers you were dying to learn," she beckoned. Nicole pulled on her gloves and hopped over the gazebo's railing, hearing it whine and bow under her weight before snapping back to its normal shape. "Hey, do not break my gazebo, a lot of memories were made there."
"I apologize," she nodded, hiding her own smirk. Once by her side, she asked, "What is my task?"
"You are far too noble to be a real knight, Haught," Wynonna complimented. "I need you to help me find someone."
"Who?"
"A man by the name of John Henry Holliday. We have a deal that I must make sure he is going through with."
"Do you know where he is?"
"Oh, I know exactly where he is," she affirmed, leading the way from the atrium. "I want you to watch him."
"Why are you including me?"
"I thought you would be more hardy than my sister."
"I feel like you're just humoring me," Nicole whispered, as she followed the curious ruler. "But, you said you had some answers for me?"
"Yes, so, now that everyone from the servants to Juan Carlo himself knows that I am here, I believe you should learn why I left in the first place… Why Waves is the way she is."
"How, she seems quite well to me," Nicole quickly defended.
"She has always been obnoxiously optimistic and naive for the most part, so be careful with her," Wynonna awkwardly phrased. "I only say this because you two are close."
Nicole raised her eyebrows a bit at Wynonna's own naivety and protectiveness. "Thank you, but I do not plan to be malicious towards her. I would not want to taint our relationship in any way," she explained. "Going back to how this conversation started, why did you leave Purgatory, other than the name."
Silence fell between them as Wynonna carefully sorted out her memories, "I… when I was young those nomads from over the hill came down and attacked us in the middle of the night. I thought I could protect my family, I hid Waves in a closet while the others got slaughtered. Um, after the dust had settled, Willa was gone and our father was being dragged by his ankles out of the woods. With Waverly too traumatized to say anything, I was left as the scapegoat."
"Where were you?" Nicole whispered.
"In a summer home not too far out of the valley, we just needed to get away from here, or I guess he needed to get out of here."
"Why?"
"There was a lot going on at the time," she brushed off. "I want to prevent anything else from happening this time around, so you are going to watch over John for me. I can explain this all to Waves."
"How long do you think this will take?"
She only shrugged as they got to the stables. "Hopefully only a few days."
"What if something happens?" Nicole asked.
"I think you will fare quite well. I have the utmost confidence in you, too Haught to handle," she smiled with a hearty pat on her back. "I have everything packed for a five day excursion on my stable steed. So, are you willing to take my quest?"
Nicole rolled her eyes, "As you wish, M'Lady."
"Ugh," she revoltingly rejected, "Ugh."
"You started it!" she retorted.
Wynonna laughed as she mounted her horse and beckoned, "Come on."
The two women left the confines of Purgatory and continued along the damp dirt road for a long while, passing through the diminishingly populated road. Wynonna lead the way, rarely glancing over her shoulder to Nicole on their journey.
After a long while, Nicole finally asked, "Who is Holliday?"
"An old friend who can help us with the Revenants. He has a few connections with the leader, albeit strained, but I will take anything I can."
"Why are you so worried about the Revenants? There were only seven of them last time I checked."
"And how many battle ready citizens do we have?"
"Fair point," Nicole agreed, taking an unbeaten path to follow her mistress. "How shall I proceed in tracking him?"
"Just follow him around, if by Friday he still has not talked with the Revenants, then you will have to remind him on my behalf," Wynonna smirked, "Whelp, just follow this path for another mile and a half and you will happen upon his cabin. He is a very good tracker, so I would stop and watch from a good distance, take these," she briskly explained, hopping off of her horse and transferring all of the belongings to Nicole's steed before mounting her chestnut colt and galloping away. "Have fun Haught!"
"Earp!" she called, "Dammit. At least you have not abandoned me," Nicole sighed, giving Lex an affectionate pat.
She continued down the long path until the slight scent of smoke broke through the greenery. Dismounting her steed, Nicole followed the scent through an untreaded path, listening and watching for any sign of the mysterious man she had to stalk. She ran through Wynonna's request, wishing that she had made up some excuse, she finally, finally, got to know how Waverly really felt about her and just when she was feeling happy, they were rudely interrupted with this task. Her feet cracked over the frost laden leaves and branches, crunching the untouched ice. She had to admit that while she took tracking classes, it was never her strong suit, a point only proven when she felt a hostile blade at the base of her neck.
"Who are you, snooping around my woods like some ghoul," the low voice interrogated.
"And who are you taking a blade to a knight," she firmly shot back, no moving an inch.
"I asked first, ma'am," he pressed, digging the sharp metal into her spine.
"I am a royal knight, my question trumps yours." Nicole glanced up at the sky, hoping that that sentence wouldn't be her last.
He only chuckled, doubling over to bow to Nicole as he charismatically apologized, "Pardon my actions, madam, I am just a simple man protecting his land."
"I highly doubt that. I assume you to be John Henry Holliday, of course," Nicole huffed, finally turning around to face the audacious man.
He stood no taller than herself with an unkempt beard that started to frost over from the afternoon chill. He wore what was to be expected of a winter merchant but with the addition of a long brimmed hat that he must have stolen at some point in his life. Holliday waited patiently for Nicole to explain herself, dangerously playing with the hunting knife in his hands.
"The Earps sent me to watch over you."
"Already, usually she waits a few hours before sending along a minion to remind me of my duties," he lazily laughed. Holliday looked up to the sky and sighed, "Come on, follow me. I do not promise much food, but I can guarantee some good booze, or are you not allowed to drink?"
"I could probably drink you under the table, Holliday."
"I highly doubt that, young lady," he corrected. "Not unless you got some Irish in you."
"Just a bit," she laughed, walking close behind him to the cabin. "Are you a licensed distiller?"
"Hmm, and you have a sense of humor, albeit dry," Holliday caught with a cheeky smile.
"So what is Wynonna having you do?"
"She didn't tell you?"
"No, as aggravating as it is, no one tells me anything."
"Well then, I believe I am not at liberty to tell you," he sighed, continuing to the cabin with Nicole and her horse slightly behind. "But, I am supposed to speak with the nomads in their territory."
"Those Revenant people?"
"Yes."
John crunched a path through the frozen and soaked leaves, listening to the knight behind him as she explained herself to him. It almost made him smile, the way she seemed completely independent of the Earps, yet already roped into every mischievous ploy they went through. Listening to this woman speak became quite tedious as she began to question him, reminding John of his disdain for frivolous conversations. They finished their short trek to a quaint cabin caked in icles and leaves from the surrounding trees. Animals speckled the abandoned domain until their mindful ears caught the less than cautious gait of Haught and Holliday. John opened the door, lighting a fire while his guest hitched her horse.
"Is it just you out here?" Nicole inquired as she walked in.
"For the time being, yes," he mindlessly explained, placing a cup of moonshine in front of her.
"Why haven't I heard of or seen you before?" she inquired, quickly busying herself to stave off having to drink the contents in front of her.
"I make my rounds." John sat back in a chair by the front door.
"When do you plan on finishing whatever her quest is?"
"Whenever I feel like it. Right now I'm a bit parched."
"So?"
"Soon, drink, you need it," he shrugged, taking a long swig from his tin cup.
"Any legitimate reason as to why not now?"
Nicole rested against the wall, choking down the searing liquor she was given. She rolled her eyes at the harsh moonshine, feeling every ounce of it cauterize her throat. John hesitated for a moment before he stood up and walked out of the cabin.
Without turning around he cautioned, "Stay back one-hundred paces without your horse, he'll be here when we get back. If you really want to know what the Earps are up to, then follow me. Either way, I don't care much about what you do, Haught."
"A bit rude, but thank you," she muttered.
Nicole trudged back to Purgatory from the ancient cabin, with Lex trailing behind. She only wished to be back with Waverly, being torn away so soon after they had revealed their feelings became increasingly difficult with every passing moment. She mounted her stead once they broke through the glades, rushing back to the manor despite the cooler temperatures frosting her cheeks.
She could tell what was said while spying on the Revenants and from what she could tell, John seemed close to them. It was harder for her to go along with Wynonna if she was so keen on working alongside the same people who killed her father. Nicole rushed through the woods, the decreasing distance only making her crave answers even more. The miles turned into feet as she approached the stables, leaving Lex in his stall as she hopped the gate and raced to find her mistress. Racing through the corridors like a madwoman, Nicole found Wynonna in her uncle's study with a stack of papers strewn across the desk.
"Back so soon?" she neutrally inquired.
"What is really going on?" Nicole demanded.
"What do you mean?"
The young knight closed the door and caught her breath. "You're trusting a man with connections to the same people who attacked you and asking them for a deal? Inviting them into Purgatory to make a deal?"
"Yes," Wynonna confirmed. "Why?"
"Why?"
Earp kicked a chair over to Nicole. "Sit."
"I'd rather stand, Madam."
"Fine, have it your way," she huffed. "The Revenants are disgruntled citizens of Purgatory. It's only fair to want to hear them out, I mean they have a small army that could easily overthrow us."
"What do they want?"
"To kill off the remaining Warps and rule over the land again."
"Again? I thought Wyatt Earp founded this land?"
"Him, Guillermo Carlo, and Ulf Svane, but Ulf was assassinated during the agreement and Guillermo became King. He had a sizable group of Swedes and Goths on his side so when they heard of his death, they blamed us and Carlo for plotting against them it's been tense ever since and they want their land back but the Carlos have been protecting us from them since the initial incident."
"Who assassinated Ulf?"
"I was told that Wyatt was the actual target but Ulf took his drink."
"So there was an intended assassination?"
"Yes, but mixed signals and a mistake killed the wrong person."
"Have you tried to make peace with them?"
"My dad tried to send them away to an empty territory, so it's been hit or miss with efficient agreements."
"And what are you up to right now?"
"Looking through my Uncle's old documents and journals. I'm not really sure though. I don't know what to do?" she admitted in defeat. "I don't want to put my people in any more peril than they are already in."
"What do you mean?" Nicole asked moving the chair closer to her mistress' desk.
"Robert sent a letter about an attack unless I offer mine and my sister's head by the Summer."
"You're not seriously considering it are you?"
"Absolutely not. I want his head on a platter, but I don't have enough time or honour to contact Jaun Carlo for help. You and Dolls are the last guards the Carlos are going to give us until this issue is resolved."
"So it's, what, seven against an army of…"
"Seventy-seven," Wynonna told her.
"Oh, oh wow. Then it seems we need to prepare?"
"Yes, it does seem so."
As snow settled upon the slow town, Purgatory's citizens went through their annual winter routine to protect themselves from the increasingly harsh weather and the Earp-McCready women began to swaddle themselves in blankets and shawls to stave off the cold. Even Waverly stopped escaping to the now locked atrium and frequented her personal library split between her and Nicole's rooms. She began to invite herself to her guest's quarters to reclaim her favourite books and novellas she had stashed when her own bookshelves overflowed.
Waverly sat in the makeshift drawing room, her eyes flicking up every moment or so while the slushy rain pattered against her window. The open door creaked close when Nicole walked in, a neutral look on her face. She approached her partner, her hands resting delicately on the arm of the chair Waverly was in so she could kiss her without damaging the frail furniture.
"What are you reading?" she inquired, kneeling by her.
Waverly placed her hands on the back of Nicole's neck, brushing her thumb across the top of her spine, "Just a book of sonnets."
"What's that?" she asked, tipping her head back into Waverly's hand.
"A sonnet?"
"Mhm," she affirmed.
"It's poetry with a rhythmic pattern," she explained, earning a still confused look from her love, "Like music, but… well… it's hard to explain without an example." Waverly looked through the table of contents for a more familiar poem. "For this author, he chose to put his sonnets to the beat of the human heart." She continued to recite the sonnet, "From off a hill whose concave womb reworded. A plaintful story from a sistering vale, my spirits to attend this double voice accorded, and down I laid to list the sad-tuned tale; ere long espied a fickle maid full pale,
Tearing of papers, breaking rings-a-twain, storming her world with sorrow's wind and rain"."
"I must admit, as beautiful as that poem was, I have trouble understanding."
"Well, that doesn't really matter at this point. Did you hear the rhythm?" Waverly asked, relaxing back into her chair.
"Mostly, there was a rhythm you seemed to have when you were reading, but I'm not quite sure about anything else," Nicole leaned against the chair, making it creak loudly. "Sorry, I finished as a soldier, not a humanist," she chuckled.
"That's fine, most of Shakespeare's work is fairly easy to understand and he brought a sense of humor to his work for everyone," Waverly comforted. She closed the book of sonnets and handed it to Nicole, "Here, read it whenever you have time. I've already memorized most of the works."
"Braggart," she teased, taking the book from her, "Thank you, thank you."
With a brisk knock on the door, Nicole launched herself from Waverly's side to the window sill a few feet behind her lover. The door swung open with Crofte in the doorway.
"Percival," Waverly greeted.
"A letter for Dame Haught," he briefly explained, walking over to the young knight.
"Thank you, Crofte," she whispered, taking the letter from him. Once he left the room- politely closing the door behind himself- Nicole opened the letter, glancing as Waverly joined her on the other side of the window. She quickly skimmed the letter, a smirk appearing on her face. "Shaelynn Darnley met a young minister, but he made a fool of himself. It seems that he got caught in the snow and when he did finally arrive at her home, he… tripped on the stairs, spilt merlot on his vest, and fell hmm… in something not so nice."
"Poor man," Waverly muttered.
"Quite sad, yes. He must have poor luck," Nicole noted. "Other than that a few updates and she reminds me that I am due for a visit, her mother must have contacted her about my indecision."
"You still haven't confirmed your visit?"
"No, not yet."
"Go visit them, it's your tradition. Write to them now so they can properly prepare for you."
"Are you sure?"
"Why are you so wary on going?"
"I just would not want you to be lonely here."
"I will be fine. You'll be gone for a week, correct?" she asked, earning a quick nod, "then I think I can last a measly week without you. I want you to not feel trapped here, Nicole."
Her partner took her hand and kissed her knuckle, "Fine, you have convinced me." She handed the book of sonnets back to Waverly and then continued to a small writing desk by the door. "Would you read to me?" Earp smiled, retrieving the flimsy book and took her spot in the cushioned chair. "You could recite your favourite one."
Nicole listened to her voice, ignoring the words and patterns as the poem was read to her. She focused on the inflections in her voice and the lines she repeated, hoping Nicole wouldn't notice. Her letter, finished moments after it had begun, dried slowly in the cold damp room, allowing Nicole to listen to the full length of the sonnet. She relaxed into the chair, folding the paper before sealing it with wax and her ring. Peeling it off, Nicole continued to regard Waverly as she finished the poem, she closed the book and handed it back to her love.
"I want you to take it with you to Leeds," she explained. "Tell me what you think when you return."
Nicole opened the table of contents and nodded, "Of course, what do you recommend?"
"I want you to find something in there that you connect with."
"I must be completely candid with you, Waves, I am no scholar, these things make no sense to me." After careful consideration, she continued, "But I will try."
"I'm glad you are willing to humor me," she confidently chuckled. "So, how did you become so close with this family?"
"I was stationed in West Yorkshire for three months when I became an officer, but the person I was shadowing was a complete fool and drunk, so I ended up seeking the help of the younger Mr. Darnley who taught me about the intricacies of their town. His mother was the one who took me under her wing after I was settled and I was able to quickly gain a few connections to families in Middlesex, Lancashire, and Gloucestershire."
"Have you been there?"
"No, but I have met with the families at their various parties."
"Must be so exciting."
Nicole walked to Waverly and stood behind her. She placed her hand on the side of her neck, drawing her head back as she bent down to kiss her. "I still urge you to join me, if not this visit, then possibly another? Being a history buff, I would hope you would find Middlesex or Yorkshire slightly interesting?"
"Wager for the spring?" she whispered against Nicole's lips.
"Mhm," she hummed in affirmation through their kiss, "Anything for you, Waves."
Her partner broke away, tipping her head back to its neutral position. "Did Wynonna tell you about Holliday?"
"Nothing since last month, why?"
"She said that he got renounced by the Revenants," Waverly informed her.
"Why, I thought he was close to Robert?"
"I thought so, too, but apparently he angered him enough to get forcibly removed from their camp."
"Maybe I should stay?" Nicole pondered.
"No, go out, maybe you can muster up support for us?" she suggested, snatching the letter from her hands and leaving for the door.
"How sure are you that Svane will keep his promise?"
"John trusts him, and I trust John."
Nicole took the letter back, "The moment anything happens, send someone to Leeds and I'll be back in a heartbeat."
"I'll race there myself," Waverly pecked her partner and plucked the letter from her hand again. "Now, go train the guards. I'll take care of this"
"Thank you."