This chapter is rated M for sexual content.

Chapter 15: Promises

Lilly wandered into the saloon. Man, the place was crowded with men and call girls. The smell of alcohol and cigar smoke invaded her nostrils. While it wasn't disgusting, it was potent. She saw Arthur and Lenny over at the bar and ambled over.

"...couple beers please?" she heard Arthur ask.

"You!" The bartender said. "I don't want no trouble!"

"And you'll get none from me. I was defendin' myself."

Lilly covered her mouth to muffle her giggling. "Tommy, he's-"

"He'll be fine," Arthur groaned as he reached into his satchel for money. He spotted Lilly from the corner of his eye and smiled at her before tossing two coins on the bar. "Here, have one for yourself, and the woman would like one too, please."

The bartender thanked Arthur and handed him a beer for Lilly. As he grabbed it, he turned and leaned his back up while giving Lilly the beer. The Irish woman graciously accepted and took a drink. "Mmm, not too shabby," Lilly said while licking her lips.

"So, where did you run off to, woman?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out, Mr. Morgan." Lilly smirked and drank some more. "Now, let us change the subject, boys." She stood between Lenny and Arthur. "Lenny, tell me all about Strawberry."

"Micah seemed to know a lot of people...that was the problem," Lenny said.

"How do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"I mean I done seen a lot of crazy, crazy stuff, but Micah-"

"I done seen a lot of crazy, crazy stuff," a drunk man interrupted him.

Arthur glared at the man. "Will you shut up?"

"Will you shut up?"

"Be quiet, buddy."

"They're dullards!" the man laughed. "My Lord...you men is dull," the man continued on laughing.

Lilly squinted her eyes and tightened her lips. This guy was getting on her nerves and Lenny seemed to notice. "Leave this fool alone, Lilly."

"Leave this fool alone, Lilly," the man repeated.

"Hey!" Lilly snapped at the man. "Go find some other patrons tah pester, ya cockroach!"

"Oh ho ho! Someone is feisty! You is Lilly, ain't you little girl?"

Arthur sighed. "Alright, I've heard en-"

Lilly put a hand to Arthur's chest. "Relax, mo chuisle. I got this," she said with a mischievous smile.

Arthur chuckled. "You need me to move?"

"Oh, such a clever boy," she giggled. "If you please."

Arthur looked at the confused man and cackled before getting behind her. Lilly faked an innocent smile at the man. "Now, let's play a game. Do ya like games, sir?"

"I do! What game we playin'?"

"It's called, "Lilly Says", sir. It's like "Simon Says". Same rules apply." This was laying the trap.

"Wait, why Lilly and not Simon?"

"Because ya gotta sound like me."

Lilly heard the boys laughing quietly behind her. "Hmm, okay...well, ladies first."

"Ah, such a chivalrous man. Okay, Lilly says...touch yer nose." This was Lilly's lure.

The man touched his nose. "Ha! I like this."

More laughing behind her. "Lilly says stick out your tongue." This was the prey in front of the open chasm of teeth.

The man did as she said. "Mmmwwweeeehhh!"

Lilly snorted from her throat and let out a high pitched giggle. "Good. Now, this next one is very easy, but it tends tah confuse people. Ya must listen carefully, okay?"

"Uh huh." The meal was in the mouth. Lilly was ready for the kill.

"Lilly says...GET THE FECK OUT BEFORE I RIP YA TAH PIECES!!!" The music and chatter stopped as the drunk man went running from her towards the back. He stumbled a few times before barging through the back door. Lilly, with the straightest of faces, took a drink of her beer and faced the bartender. He looked dumbfounded. "Oh, my apologies for frightenin' ya, sir. I was makin' sure Arthur here didn't need to defend himself again."

Arthur, Lenny, and Lilly burst into hysterics and the atmosphere in the saloon relaxed. The three gang members clinked their bottles together and started chugging. And instead of only having a few beers, they kept drinking. They had beer, they had shots of whiskey, then some more beer. Lilly preferred whiskey to the beer. She was Irish, after all. Eventually her and Lenny found themselves upstairs talking amongst themselves.

"So, lemme make suuuure I'm hearin' ya roight, lad," Lilly slurred. "Yer a...wait, ya know, I fergot what we was talkin' 'bout."

"Me too!" Lenny said while balancing a shot glass on his forehead.

"Yer...yer really good at that, Lenny. And I thought I had good balance."

"Here, you try." Lenny handed her the glass. "Wait, lemme just..." Lilly leaned her head back and Lenny placed it on her forehead. "There you go."

"Heheheheheee, this is fun fer sure. I havena done shite like this fer a while."

"LENNEH!"

Lilly almost dropped the glass when she started laughing. "Was that Arthur?"

"LILLEH!" Arthur shouted. "Where are ya!? Where is Lenneh and mo stóirín?!"

"What did he say?" Lenny asked.

"It's Gaeilge fer "my little darling". He insists on tryin' tah speak Gaeilge but the man is just...he hasna the proper tongue fer it. But most people dunna have it. Ugh, take the glass before I fall over!"

Lenny took it with a giggle and balanced it on his head again. Lilly stood up straight and saw Arthur coming up the stairs with three beers. "Mo chuisle! Over here, me love!"

Arthur spotted her and smiled. He walked like a drunkard along the planked floor to them. "What are you doin', kid?"

"Hello Arthur!" Lenny said. "You know what, I don't know."

Lenny dropped the glass but Lilly caught it and made a victorious smile. "I still got cat like reflexes!"

Arthur laughed and handed her and Lenny the beers. "You sure do."

They all chugged the beers a bit. Lenny started dancing and Arthur and Lilly both cackled at him. After a while Lenny asked him a serious question. "Well, why ain't you never married?"

Lilly almost spit out her beer. Oh what the hell. Lilly was about to glare at him when she saw the look on Arthur's face. And what he said next almost broke her heart. "No one would have me," he said sadly.

Lilly frowned and nudged him. "Ya know what, babe?"

Arthur cackled at her. "Babe?"

"Sherrrr...babe! I heard it's...fuck, it's an affex...affecto...it's a love thing! And ya know what?"

"What's that...babe?"

All three of them started cackling and snickering. "Seriously...in all seriousness, babe...I'll..." Lilly waved an arm about. "I'll have ya!"

Arthur's jaw dropped with a smile. Lenny gaped at her with joy. "Ask her now before she changes her mind!" Lenny blurted out.

"Why would I change me bloomin' mind? I'm bein' serious!

Arthur put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her. Well, Arthur slobbered her face, really, he was so drunk. "It's...funny you both mentioned that...because...ahem, Lilly, I...I wanted to..." Arthur reached into his pocket but started to panic. "...Oh no."

Lilly's eyes widened. "Did ya lose somethin'?"

"Yes! I lost...oh wait, ha! Here it is!" Arthur looked at her with a smile. "I...well, wait, let's move away from the railing."

They all did and Arthur stood in front of Lilly with his hands on her arms to steady himself. "Arthur, wait, before ya...I donna know what yer doin', but...well, I..." Lilly sighed and pulled out her gift box.

"What's that?" Arthur asked while pointing to the box. A knowing smile was her answer and it made Arthur laugh. "Is it for me?"

Lilly inclined her head and held it out. "I lied. I did make time fer a gift, babe. I been waitin' on this fer a bit, but it didna take as long as I thought it would."

Arthur took it, shook his head with a chuckle, and opened it. His face went blank and Lilly's throat swelled up. Uh oh. Was he going to be upset? She'd "borrowed" it some time ago to have it fixed and customized.

"Now, Lilly, you know how I feel about you talkin' like that."

"Yes, I do," she giggled at him. "Faigheann sé tú ag dul. Nuair a théimid chuig campa, ní stadfaidh mé." Lilly leaned over closer to him. "Mo coinín riachtanais tú chomh dona," Lilly murmured seductively.

Arthur gaped at her. "You little minx."

"Yes I am. Tiocfaidh mé chugat. Beidh mé ag focáil tú. Beidh níos mó de dhíth ort. Beidh tú ag impí ar do ghlúine chun ithe mo mhil."

Arthur's mouth went slack as he stared at Lilly. "Lillian..."

"Is mian liom go raibh a fhios agat cad a bhí á rá agam. Is mian liom go bhféadfá labhairt liom i nGaeilge," Lilly said as she discreetly reached into his interior jacket pocket.

"Get us out the stream!" Hosea shouted. Arthur blinked and focused on driving. "You gotta keep us movin', but calm."

Lilly giggled and leaned close to Arthur's ear. "Beidh mise leatsa go deo má fhoghlaimíonn tú mo theanga, mo fhear álainn," she whispered. Lilly saw Arthur's body tremble briefly and just as the back wheel of the wagon broke off, she snatched an object from him. Lilly started cackling as she trotted away from the wagon. "Hahahaaaa!"

"Ah, shit!" Arthur shouted. "Dammit, Lillian!"

Lilly could barely restrain herself from giggling. "I'm sorry." She had her backs to all the men and looked at the object. It was a gold watch with a bullet in it. Lilly's expression softened into a tender smile. He kept it after all this time?

Arthur immediately sobered up as he pulled out the gold watch. It was his old pocket watch that took a bullet the day he and Lilly crossed paths, and it was different than before. On the front, there was a black griffin on a green shield, but there was a bullet head over the griffin's chest. A small bullet head. There was a reindeer buck's head etched into the gold above the shield, and there were intricate long feather designs for the arms. It was the Morgan family crest. Arthur looked at her in shock then turned the watch over. Inscribed on the back were the words "Audaces fortuna juvat". Arthur knew those words. Fortune favours the bold. The Morgan family motto. And above the motto was the back end of a bullet.

"Um, open it," she said with a blush.

He did and saw that the damn thing was actually fixed. And under the lid, it said "Mo Chuisle, Mo Fear Álainn, Mo Bithiúnach. Love, L.R.O'C." [My Pulse, My Beautiful Man, My Reprobate.]

"I was...um...I was orin...orin...I was pullin' a prank until I saw what I snatched, so...I hope ya ain't...ma...mad. I know it's sentimental tah us both, but...I..."

"That is a beautiful watch, but..." Lenny leaned over Arthur's shoulder. "Why is there a bullet in it?"

Lilly giggled. "Ya see, the first day he and I met, he saved me from gettin' run over by a carriage. I was only seven. And...and then later on...we was dealin' with these two fuckers that wanted tah take me back..." Lilly burped and laughed as she finished her beer. "Sorry, excuse me...anyway, they wanted tah take me back tah Papa."

"Your father?"

"No, me father's dead. Papa was a man in Saint Denis that wanted tah take me away from Arthur. More than once." Lilly slapped a hand over her mouth. "Fuck!" she said but it was muffled. Arthur gaped at her. Lilly nodded. "He...fuck, I gotta go..."

Lilly went to go but Arthur enfolded her with his arms. "Please don't run away, mo grá," Arthur spoke softly into her ear. "Tá mé i ngrá leat. Fan liom." [I am in love with you. Stay with me.] She relaxed against him. "Lenny, don't repeat this to anyone. It is a very bad subject for her."

Lenny made a locking motion to his lips. "I won't say a word. But...I gotta piss, I'll be back."

They watched Lenny go and Arthur directed her into one of the bedrooms. He caressed her face and sighed. "More than once? They came back?"

Lilly nodded grimly while fiddling with her fingers. "Please don't ask me about it."

"Lillian, you need to tell me."

"I wilna tell ya anythin' more about it, Arthur Morgan!" she snapped.

Arthur suddenly snapped too. "The hell you won't! I think I should know about it if you wanna be my wife!"

"Yer what?!"

Arthur shut his eyes. Now he was sober and he knew she was too. "God dammit." This was not how he wanted it to go.

"Arthur...were ya thinkin' about proposin' tah me?"

Arthur sighed. "I wasn't just thinkin' about it." Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out the box. "I was goin' to."

Lilly blinked at him. "But...if I wanna be yer wife, ya mean I gotta tell ya everythin'? Look, love, I can tell ya everythin' that happened before Saint Denis, and maybe a couple things after Saint Denis, but ya wilna know anythin' about me time in Saint Denis. Nobody will."

That was a very hard deal. Arthur did feel like he should know everything if he was going to propose. He knew pushing her would be bad, but he was still quite drunk and his sense of logic and judgment were not working on all cylinders at that point. He put the box away. "You selfish brat! Why would you want to keep anythin' from me? I love you! Doesn't that mean anythin'?"

"Of course it does, ya dumb fuckin' Sasanach!" [Englishman!]

"Cruel little bitch!"

"Shite faced arsehole!"

"Fuckin' whore!"

Lilly narrowed her eyes. "Ya know damn well I ain't a whore! You are my first!"

"Oh really? Because I don't think I believe you! Tell me to my face, Lillian! Were you a virgin when I first fucked you or am I just another one of your god damn play things?!"

Lilly looked taken aback. "You were never me play thing! You're the love of me life! I've loved ya from the moment I first saw you!" Lilly shouted angrily.

Arthur's anger washed away with a wave of shock and awe. "...What?"

"The whole point of the god damn huntin' game was so I could have ya, even if it was just that small piece of ya because I thought ya'd never love me! And I didn't realize how I actually felt until ya took me that day in that circle of pine trees!"

He stared at Lilly with big eyes and when he saw her flaring nostrils, her angry eyes, her clenched fists, and her tightened lips, Arthur knew he just fucked up big time. "Lilly, I...I didn't know-"

"Of course ya didna know! I didna even know it! I didna want tah know it because I didna think I even deserved ya! Didna think I could compare tah Mary or Eli..." Lilly stopped herself. "But clearly, it's the other way around!" Arthur knew he went too far but before he could take any of it back, Lilly kept yelling. "No, it's you that dunna deserve me. I am the second Countess of Moycullen, daughter of Jack Joseph O'Callaghan, Godslayer of Galway and the first Earl of Moycullen! But you?!" she pointed at him angrily. "You are nothin' compared tah me, ya lowlife outlaw commoner!"

"Lillian, I am so sorry."

"SHUT UP!"

What surprised Arthur even more was he didn't want to shut up. He knew how effective that shout was and it was borderline magical as far as he was concerned, but Arthur had never been frightened of her and he wasn't going to be frightened of her now. He took a step forward. "No, I won't shut up."

Lilly's eyes widened. Obviously she was just as surprised. "That's...strange."

"I know, but I'm not scared of you," Arthur said with a laugh. "I don't think I have ever been scared of you."

Lilly scowled and shook her head. "As ucht Dé, nevermind." Lilly stormed away from him to the door. Arthur went after her and snatched her arm.

"Don't go, you silly woman! C'mere!"

Lilly faced him. "LET GO OF ME!"

Arthur held on and kept his eyes on hers. "No. I won't let go of you, Lillian."

Lilly flung her arm from him. "That is not yer choice to make. I am goin' home."

"I am your home. You said so yourself."

"I'm talkin' about me birthplace! Ireland!"

"You have no money. How are you gonna get there? Swim?" he chuckled.

"Patrick Nolan! Ya said he was lookin' fer me!"

Arthur's heart jumped into his throat. Ah shit. "That was years ago. He's probably stopped lookin' by now."

"Ha! Ya don't know Patrick, but I do! He's more stubborn and pigheaded than you are!"

"Don't be ridiculous, you stubborn lass. I'm gonna propose and you're gonna say yes! Now come here!" He wrapped his arms around Lilly and kissed her.

She tried to get away from him but couldn't. "After all the shite ya said tah me, I'd take a goat as a husband before I'd ever have ya again!"

"Then I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't have said that. Now stop bein' so damn difficult and say you'll marry me."

"Ya canna take back what ya said!" Lilly's lips started trembling.

He didn't just piss her off. He'd hurt her. He never wanted to hurt her and for a moment, he thought about giving up and letting her go, but then he thought better of it. He was not going to give up that easily. "Let me make it up to you, then."

"No."

Arthur put his hands on her shoulders. "You and I have fought too often. I always make it up, don't I Lillian?"

Lilly smacked his hands away and put her hand on the doorknob. "I dunna care! I am goin' home tah reclaim me title, marry an Earl, and live happily ever after. I never want tah see ya again and dunna follow me."

She opened the door but he slammed it shut and pinned her against it. "I will follow you. I will crawl underwater to Ireland if I have to, but I will follow you. I will chase you down all the way to god damn Galway because I love you and you love me. And you know Patrick's only tryin' to find you because his father gave him the obligation."

"Both our fathers did and I have an obligation tah follow through! Ya wouldna understand!"

"Oh horse shit," Arthur said with a cackle. "You're only sayin' that because you're mad at me, and you'll regret it if you leave."

"I may regret it but I'm gonna do it just tah spite ya! I made a promise back then to me father and mother!"

Arthur narrowed his eyebrows as his determination burned in his light blue eyes. He had one last trick up his sleeve. "Well, I better let the cat out of the bag now," he smirked. "You also made a promise to me, woman."

Lilly looked confused, which is what he wanted: to throw her off. "What promise?"

"About you bein' mine forever."

Lilly eyed him suspiciously. "...I never promised anythin' of the sort.

"No, you didn't use the word, but I know you very well, O'Callaghan, and," he sighed nonchalantly. "Your word is your bond...when you ain't mad and spittin' nails, of course." He grinned at her knowingly.

Her dark blue eyes held more questions. "What the fuck are ya talkin' 'bout?"

Arthur kissed Lilly's forehead before pressing his brow to hers. "Tá mé i ngrá leat. Beidh grá agam duit i gcónaí. Mo grá. Mo chuisle. Mo bhean chéile sa todhchaí. Fan liom. Ní ligfidh mé duit dul." [I am in love with you. I will always love you. My love. My pulse. My future wife. Stay with me. I will not let you go.]

Lilly blinked a few times. "How much was in that book?!"

He looked at her with a shit eating grin. "Ar chóir dom leanúint ar aghaidh? Labhraím do theanga, bean. Tá tú liom go deo toisc go labhraíonn mé é." [Should I continue? I speak your language, woman. You're with me forever because I speak it.]

Lilly's mouth parted. "...What? How the fuck are ya learnin' Gaeilge so fast?" she asked. "It takes years tah..." Realization hit her face. "...How long have ya been studyin' it?!"

"I been studyin' it for about, hmm, four years now," Arthur said with a smile. "Without your knowledge. I was goin' to prank your ass with it. All those times you and Sean spoke in Gaeilge around me and you didn't know it. So," he pulled her away from the door and locked it. He looked at her and gently pushed his body into hers to move her to the bed. "Oibleagáid nó grá?" [Love or no love?]

Lilly's eyes filled with tears and she laughed as they fell. "Ya feckin' shite! Ya prankin' shite! I dunna know if I should hate ya or love ya!"

"Love me." He got down on his left knee as he pulled out the box once more, held the box with his left hand, and opened it with his right. "Lillian Rose O'Callaghan, will you hang your washing with mine?"

Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable. Arthur hid this secret for years. It was the ultimate god damn prank. Oh, he was good. Lilly looked down at what was in the box. The ring in the box was a silver band with two sapphires with a slightly bigger emerald in the middle. Simple and practical, but gorgeous all the same. It was perfect. Lilly sat on the bed. She had a choice to make. She didn't want to marry Patrick Nolan. She didn't want to go back to Ireland. Well, she did, but Lilly would want to bring Arthur with. Maybe they could go for a honeymoon once all this running from the law was over. "Was Sean teachin' you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I told you, to prank you. And, well, I wanted to flirt with you in your native language." A hint of suggestion filled Arthur's eyes. "Lillian, I'm still waitin' for an answer.

Lilly, with a shake of her head, smiled at him. He was right. Lilly was his forever. "I will marry you...on one condition."

"Tell me."

"I get to name this prank."

"Done." Arthur smiled happily and put the band on the ring finger of her left hand. "Now..." Arthur helped her up. "You got two choices. We go find Lenny or we consummate our engagement."

Lilly laughed with a breath full of air. "As much as I'd love tah ride ya roight no'wwwwaaaah, we better go find Lenny be...before he gets himself intah trouble, me...future Mr. O'Callaghan."

Arthur cackled with amusement in his smile. "Okay then, future Mrs. Morgan."

They both kissed again and left the bedroom to go find Lenny. "Hmmm, where did our boy run off tah?"

Arthur cackled and put an arm around her. They heard glass break and Lilly looked over the railing. Lenny was taking on two men. "Get away from me!" Lenny shouted defiantly.

"Ah shit. We better go help. I'll take the shortcut, you flank 'em at the stairs."

"The shortcut?" Arthur stared at her. "What shortcut?"

Lilly kissed his cheek, side leaped over the railing and landed on the ground with a crouch. "Hey ya fucks! Leave him alone!" Lilly shoved one of the guys away. "I mean it! Do not make me angry! Ya saw what I did tah that one feller!" The men charged her and Lenny and Lilly jumped up on the bar. She helped Lenny from falling while she landed gracefully despite her inebriation.

"Leave the kid and my woman alone, you god damn animals!" Arthur yelled at the men.

Who do you think you're talkin' to?" one of the assailants asked furiously.

"Nobody," Arthur pointed as he drunkenly wobbled down the steps. "...I'm talkin' to nobody!" Arthur continued with a low groan.

The men faced Arthur. "What did you say?"

"What?"

"I said what did you say?"

Lilly and Lenny got off the bar and stood at each of Arthur's sides. Arthur shoved one of the drunken aggravators. "Get lost, buddy!"

"Shut up, mister!" said the second angry man.

"Yeah. Shut your mouth!" man number one added.

Lilly scowled. "Don't ya tell me man tah shut up, ya bastards! I'll kick yer arses single handedly meself!" Lilly got into her kick boxing stance. "But seein' as how there's three of us and only two of yas, yer odds just went intah the negative percentage! NOW BACK OFF!"

The men did, in fact, back off. "Okay okay, shit! That's quite a demandin' voice you got!"

Lilly relaxed and giggled. "Why thank you kindly, sir."

Arthur laughed and pulled his fianceé to his chest. "Yes she does. I look forward to bein' yelled at like that, mo bhean chéile." [my wife.]

A drunken cackle came flying out of her throat. "I ain't yer wife yet, mo chuisle."

"Wait, what?" Lenny asked. "Wife?"

Lilly looked behind her at Lenny and propped up her left hand. "He proposed upstairs just now."

"Oh yeah!" Arthur barked with laughter. "I asked Lilly to marry me and she accepted!"

"No shit! Are you serious?!" Lenny grabbed Lilly's hand and studied the ring closely. "That is beautiful! But no diamond?"

"Now why would I do that? It makes sense! An emerald for Ireland, and two sapphires," Arthur slid his hand into Lilly's auburn hair as he stared into her eyes with a twinkle in his own. "For her pretty blue eyes."

A blush formed in Lilly's cheeks. "Aww, mo chuisle."

"Hey, that's..." the first assailant started tearing up. "That's a beautiful thing," he sniffled.

"Yeah," the second man said while his eyes watered. "You two are...hey! Let's get some rounds over here for, uh, what are your names?"

"Arthur."

"Lilly."

"For Arthur and Lilly! On us!" the man continued.

Lilly was not going to complain. They all had a few shots of whiskey each and Lilly passed the point of no return. Bercoed. Fluthered. Paralytic. Completely steamboated. It got to the point where everyone in the bar hooked arms to shoulders and started can-canning. After that, Lilly heard someone playing the piano and the sound 'MMMM' came through as she was chugging a beer.

"I'm gonna go ask that man tah...tah play us somethin,' Arthur!" Lilly stumbled over while Arthur started cackling. Lilly pulled herself up using a chair and glared at Arthur. "Ya coulda helped yer darlin' wife up, husband!"

Arthur cackled delightfully and pulled Lilly to him aggressively before kissing her deeply. "I need to go piss first."

"Mmmm, okay. Dunna be long, mo fhear céile," she said while flashing her teeth at him. [my husband]

"You...god, you wonderful woman." He kissed her hard. "Let's go have a good time after I piss."

"I thought we was havin' a good time?" Lilly teased.

"Mmhmmhmmhmmhmm, Lilly. Come out with me and I'll show you a really good time."

"Oh, outside? Such a kinky bithiúnach. But what if I fall over?" [reprobate.]

Arthur laughed. "You ain't gonna be standin' up, babe." He grabbed her hand to lead her outside. She power walked with him, a giddy laugh erupting from her throat. "How are ya gonna fuck me, Arthur?"

They burst outside and he found a corner to pee in. "Against the wall, of course."

"Hehe, I see." Lilly went behind some big boxes and began to remove her pants when a thought crossed her mind. She wanted discretion, so she pulled them down to her knees, grabbed her knife, and made a hole in the middle of the crotch area. As she sheathed her knife and yanked them back up, Arthur came over to her. "I made a modification tah me pants, Arthur."

A laugh came out of Arthur. "Okay?"

Lilly leaned on the wall and spread her legs a wee bit. "I made a hole. Shh."

Arthur grinned, unbuttoned his pants, and lifted her as he kissed her. "I made a modification too."

Lilly giggled then inhaled a sharp, giddy sounding breath. "That's not a modifi-UH!"

Arthur put his cock into her and pumped. "This is gonna be quick. I wanna get back in there, celebrate some more, then I wanna have my way with you again." He kissed her neck and pumped into her deeply. "And again." He pulled out then thrust into her. "And again."

"Oh, lots of crossin' off your to-do list," Lilly giggled. Arthur and her laughed loudly, then they proceeded with snogging and having sex.

Lilly could barely stand, she was laughing so hard. Lenny and Arthur were engaged in a male ritual of slap fighting. Oh the testosterone. Lilly snorted as she went to the bar and ordered another beer. As she consumed a good portion, Arthur wrapped his arms around her. "Mo stoirín, hello." [my little darling]

Lilly could tell he was past the point of no return as well. And the fact that he was showing extremely heavy affection in public was a good example of that. "Had a good slappin', did ya?"

"Mmhmm."

Lenny almost crashed into the counter and pat Arthur. "You...you a...you're a good friend, Arthur. You too, Lilly."

"Shut up..." Arthur said with an embarassed tone.

Lilly giggled as she ordered tall glasses of beer for the three of them. They clanked them together and chugged them all down...except for Arthur. His got stolen by Mr. Simon Says.

Lilly slammed her glass down. "Did ya just steal me fiancé's god damn beer?!"

"Cheers!" the man laughed. Lilly snatched the mug out of his hand, gave it to Arthur, and grabbed the man by the ear. "Ow!"

"Ya got poor manners, boyo!" Lilly yanked him out the back as he kept howling in pain. She walked him over by the pig pens and shoved him into the fence. "DUNNA TAKE ME MAN'S BEER AGAIN, YA STUPID SWINE!"

The man got up and ran away. Even some of the pigs went and ran all the way to the other side of the pen. Arthur and Lenny fell down and laughed hysterically. "Ya scared the pigs, darlin'!" Arthur said while laughing.

Lilly staggered over to them but tripped over Lenny and fell on top of Arthur. "Oof! Sorry!"

Arthur rolled over on top of her and began to kiss her. "Oh, is it your to-do list we need to focus on now?"

Lilly laughed and smacked his arm. "Not in frontah Lenny, ya damn bithiúnach!" [reprobate!]

"Aww, what's wrong? We can be discreet!"

"I'm right here, Arthur," Lenny chuckled next to them. All three of them burst out laughing.

"Excuse me." Lilly looked up and saw a man in a dark blue suit and a bowler cap. He had a fancy mustache. "Are you Miss Lillian Rose O'Callaghan?" The man had a Welsh accent.

Arthur arched his head back. "Not for long. She's gonna be Mrs. Morgan soon." The three started laughing again.

"Ahem. I have a letter for you, Miss O'Callaghan," the man said with an emphasis on her last name.

Lilly groaned, got up, and stumbled over to the man. "Thank ya very much, sir. I do apologize for me friend and me fiancé. They are quite unruly." She held her hand out and the man gave her the envelope.

"Hmm. So it would seem."

Lilly looked at the front of the envelope. The writing was in Gaeilge. "Chun Mo Chuntaois" [To My Countess] she said out loud. "Shite. Is this from Patrick Nolan?!"

"What is it, Lilleh?!" Arthur yelled. "What about Patrick?"

Lilly opened the letter and started reading.

My Dearest Lillian,

I have finally found you. I am not yet capable of retrieving you...

Lilly scoffed. "Retrieving me? What is he, a dog playin' fetch?!"

"That wasn't what he intended, my lady," the man replied. "He only wishes to-"

Lilly put her palm up. "Silence, please!"

...but I do hope to see you post haste. I have missed you, my dear. I came to the States some time after the news of your brother's untimely death reached Galway. We all thought your family sank with The Emerald Star. I was immediately dispatched to find you.

I have been here for fourteen long, agonizing years, and I thought my search in vain until I received news of your involvement in the Blackwater Massacre. Oh, my poor darling girl. To think of how you've been forced to sink so low from your birthright to a common outlaw. It pains me to...

Lilly looked up at the man. "Huh. Common outlaw, hmm?"

The man removed his cap. "Is he wrong, my lady?"

"Half wrong. But you don't have to keep calling me that, Mr...um..."

"Pierce. Joseph Pierce, my...apologies."

"Miss O'Callaghan will do, Mr. Pierce."

Arthur came up behind her and peeked over her shoulder. "Shit. It is him, ain't it?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, mo chuisle, it is." Lilly continued reading.

...think of your hardships and troubles.

I also heard disturbing news about your time in Saint Denis. But all of this can be put behind you, my dear. When I come for you, please, let me take you home. I have missed you. I have missed the girl I played with in Achrann Castle, in the gardens of your estate Darach ar an gCnoc, and in the bogs of MoyCullen. I look forward to seeing an solas i mo chroí [the light in my heart] again. Please, whatever your transgressions, whatever your circumstances in the last seventeen years, come home with me.

Your Intended,

Sir Patrick John Finnley Alexander Nolan, 12th Earl of Galway

Lilly folded the letter back up. "Oak on the Hill," she chuckled sadly. "I haven't thought about that name in such a long time."

"Oak on the Hill?" Arthur asked.

"The name of our estate. Darach ar an gCnoc. There was a hill not too far from there with an ancient oak tree. It was massive and it was my favorite climbing tree. Is the estate still intact, Mr. Pierce?"

"I do believe so. The tree, however...I'm afraid it withered and died shortly after your family departed for America," Mr. Pierce explained.

Lilly's eyes started to water. "Oh dear...how?"

"Not sure. Many superstitions about it, too."

"Such as?"

"Your absence broke the heart of the tree."

"...My absence or my family's?"

"Yours. It was a fairy hill. Do you not remember the girl you played with there?"

"...What girl?"

"The folks around there called her, what was it..."an páiste dearg", I believe."

"...The red child?" Lilly blinked a few times. "It...sounds familiar but...I can't recall...I..."

Lilly felt Arthur's hand squeeze hers. He whispered in her ear. "Um, Lilly, there's somethin' I gotta tell you when we're done here."

Lilly shook her head as if to clear it. She put the letter back in the envelope and stashed it. "Please inform the twelfth Earl of Galway that I will not be returning to Ireland. I have a life here and if need be, I rescind my title to someone Her Majesty finds fit to bestow it upon. I am to be married to Arthur Morgan and do not wish to marry Patrick Nolan."

"Sir Patrick, Miss O'Callaghan. He was knighted shortly after his father's passing," the man corrected.

"I see. Well, offer my congratulations to Sir Patrick. And my condolences to the passing of his father Sir Liam. I remember him quite fondly."

"But Miss Lillian, you cannot just give up your birthright. And you can't marry this...commoner! Your marriage to Sir Patrick is a Royal Decree!

"Well, I love this "commoner" and to hell with a god damn Royal Decree! This is America, not Ireland! I don't care if God himself demands it, I will not marry Sir Patrick and he will have to find another noblewoman's hand! And besides! I cannot give him an heir! I am barren!"

The man gave her an incredulous expression. "...You're what?"

"I am infertile. I...had an accident three years ago." Lilly lifted her shirt and exposed the scar on her abdomen. "I fell from a tree and was impaled by a stick on the way down. Irreparable damage was done to my womb." Lilly tucked her shirt back in. "Now, if Sir Patrick needs my response in writing, Mr. Pierce, I will be more than happy to provide a letter for you to give him."

"No, I can tell him the gist of it, Miss O'Callaghan. Thank you for your time." He put his hat back on. "I must take my leave. Good day to you."

"Good day."

The man left and Lilly held herself. "...Arthur...he found me. What am I gonna do?"

Arthur put his arms around her. "As I said, I won't let him take you. But you sure as shit won't go with him on your own, will you, darlin'?"

Lilly turned around and put her arms around Arthur's neck. "Please don't let him take me."

"I won't, mo grá."

Lilly saw Lenny and chuckled. "Poor man is passed out."

Arthur turned his head and laughed. "Ha! Just as well. Hope he didn't overhear too much. Not that he'll remember any of it."

A snort came out of Lilly's throat and it was followed by a chortle. "This is true."

"You ready to go back to camp? I think we've had enough celebration for one night. Especially Lenny."

"Yes, mo chuisle."

"Alright." Arthur looked at her with lust in his eyes. "I'm still goin' to have my way with you multiple times tonight, though. Oh! I forgot! Sean! We got news on Sean today!"

"Really?!" Lilly smiled. "Oh! I miss my deartháir!" [brother!]

"He's bein' held in Blackwater but there's talk of movin' him. But don't worry, we'll get him back. And you're gonna help make sure of that, aren't you?"

"Of course. Can't wait to see the look on his face that we're livin' in the same tent and engaged." Lilly looked at her ring. "It is very beautiful, Arthur. I do love it, and," she looked at him. "I love you. And I'm sorry I was such an arse earlier."

Arthur stroked her hair. "I was too." He pressed his forehead to hers. "Forgiven."

"Forgiven. So was that the thing you wanted to tell me?"

"I can explain that on the way back. Let's get Lenny and go."

9-year-old Lilly, with a ponytail and in dark blue winter coat, a blue winter hate, brown leather fingerless gloves, blue overalls, and black winter boots was sitting in a carriage. Papa's boys went and snatched her up. Again. This was sixth time in a year and a half.

"Ya know, Papa keeps sendin' ya after me but I just keep killin' all of ya. Don'tcha get tired of hearin' about yer comrades fallin' in battle?" All the men were in black suits and had brown hair. Very generic looking. And they were silent and ignoring her. Lilly was bored. She looked down at her restraints and sighed. Once again, they were slacked as she planned. Lilly began discreetly undoing them. "I'm bored. Can one of yas talk tah me so I don't get any ideas about escapin'?" Still no words. Lilly was almost done with the ropes. "ONE OF YA FUCKS NEEDS TAH TALK TAH ME!"

They all looked at her. "Okay, okay!" the man in front of her said. "What do you want to talk about, kid?"

"How many more men does Papa plan on sendin' after me?"

"This is the last time, I'm sure."

"He needs to stop sendin' dumb men who aren't immune to me shout'."

"No one is immune to your shout, Miss Lilly," the man to her left said.

"Deaf men are. He should send some deaf men next. Not that it would help."

"Why's that?"

Lilly looked at the man in front of her who was just staring at her. "What are ya gawkin' at, man? Don'tcha know it's rude tah stare?"

"I just find it hard to believe you've killed so many people. Not just the ones Papa sends to fetch you but the others you killed in Saint Denis. Do you know what they call you?" the man across from her asked.

"The Fidus Et Audax Hunter. I got newspaper clippings of all me kills in Saint Denis, ya know."

"Do you like killing?"

Lilly cocked her head. "...Only bad people. But even then, it's..." Lilly sighed and leaned her head back. "I do like killin', but I don't like that I like killin', if that makes any sense."

"It does. You're only nine. A girl your age shouldn't be doin' any of this."

Lilly chuckled. "Tell that tah Papa. He's the one who honed me killer instincts...among other things."

"They say you're the daughter of Death, Lilly," the man to her left said. "Now, I've seen some shit, kid, but the things you did to some of our pals was beyond belief."

Lilly grinned up at him. "Like what?"

"You disemboweled a man and hung him from a building by his entrails."

"Ha! I sure did! He deserved it, though."

The man in front of her leaned forward. "Why?"

Lilly sighed and glanced at him. "He beat up Sean and tried tah gut him."

"...Oh. So, all the men you killed were bad men?"

Lilly smiled at him. "Yer new, aren't ya?"

"Yes, Miss Lilly."

"New and polite." Lilly realized he was a young man. Couldn't be older than twenty. She was going to let him live. Lilly needed someone to send a message back anyway. Lilly took a quick gander around and saw no one was paying attention. "What is yer name, sir?"

"Frederick."

"Well, it's nice tah meet ya. Hey, can someone please help me with me jacket? It's bloody hot in here."

The man to her right started loosening her bonds. He helped with her jacket. Lilly quickly reached into her overalls, pulled out a throwing knife, and threw it into the corner man's face. Lilly grabbed another knife and stabbed the man with her jacket in the throat. Quick as lightning, Lilly flipped her blade around and stabbed the man to her left in the neck. Then Lilly looked at the last two men with a smile. "Ya boys wanna test me now or what?"

Frederick stared at her in horror while the other man pulled out his gun. "To hell with this!"

Lilly threw the knife and it pinned his hand to the carriage wall. He shouted, Lilly grabbed another knife, and she went and sliced his throat open. Lilly sighed, grabbed her throwing knife from the first dead man, moved her fourth kill over, and sat next to Frederick. "Now, let us discuss me terms, Frederick," she said casually as she stared ahead.

"...What terms?"

"I let ya live if ya give Papa a message." Lilly had blood all over her face and she suddenly wished her chemise was long sleeved...and not white.

"What's...w-what is the message?"

Lilly grinned at him as if killing a man was a normal thing for her. And it was. "Tell Papa that if he keeps sendin' more of his men after me, I'll start sendin' him their body parts. Their eyes, tongues, fingers, toes, ears...even their padiddles if I hafta make a stronger point. Also, tell him if he keeps sendin' men after that, and he keeps tryin' tah go after Mo Fear Álainn, I'll-"

"Mo what?"

"Arthur. My Beautiful Man. It's Gaeilge. He saved me the first time. He is me guardian now, but unbeknownst tah him, I am his guardian too. And he will never know about it. He'd try and take me revenge from me. But don't tell Papa that part. Just the Mo Fear Álainn part."

Frederick gaped at her. "I...okay."

"Anyway, he goes after me family, that includes Da, Athair, Arthur, Susan, Bessie, and Annabelle, and I will come back and fulfill me promise."

"What promise?"

"Tah slice off all his limbs and feed 'em tah the alligators." Frederick shuddered and Lilly sighed. "Well, shit." Obviously the boy was traumatized now. "I'm lettin' ya live because yer a good guy, understand? I don't kill good people."

"...Uh huh."

Lilly stared at him. "Did ya get all of what I said?"

"...I think so."

"Well, just so there ain't no confusion, Frederick," Lilly reached into her pouch and pulled out a small notepad and pencil. "Would ya like tah write it all down?" Frederick went to take the things but Lilly saw he was shaking. "No, nevermind. I'll write it down." Lilly rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Stupid Papa, sendin' a greenhorn after me. He's gotta be goin' senile, I swear. Oh, and tell him if he kills ya fer failin' yer mission, I'll chop his balls off and hang 'em on my wall as a trophy. Understand?"

Frederick made a nervous laugh. "I think you should write that down, too."

"Excellent idea." Lilly started humming and kicking her feet as she wrote. When she finished, she stuffed the note into Frederick's pocket. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I got to see the driver about our horses."

"What horses?"

Lilly opened the carriage door and grinned at Frederick. "The one you're takin' tah go home, and the one I'm takin' tah go home." And with that, she climbed out and up.

Author's Note: Ah, what an interesting chapter, hmm? Review, fav, and follow, and thanks for reading!