This chapter is rated M for sexual content.

Chapter 35: The Broken Oath

Lilly was sitting on the bed, her back to the entrance when she heard someone walk in.

"Lillian," she heard Arthur say.

"Arthur," she spoke blankly.

The pups whined at both of them. "They don't like us fightin'," Arthur stated.

"No, they do not, but they're only animals."

"Heh heh heh, I think we both know they ain't just animals."

Lilly turned around and narrowed her eyes at Arthur, removing herself from the bed and walking to a dresser. "What are they, then? Freaks of nature?" she asked bitterly.

She didn't feel mad at Arthur for a while now, but now she was angry at him again just from looking at him. What he'd said that day really played on her biggest insecurity and Lilly just couldn't forgive him for ignoring her no matter how much she wanted to. Not yet, anyway. Arthur scoffed. "You still on about that?"

Lilly stopped rummaging through the drawers, slowly turned and eyeballed him, her mouth slightly open and her lower jaw jutted forward. The audacity of his callousness was overwhelmingly nerve-wracking. She grabbed a random object from the dresser and threw it at him. He dodged it but it broke the vanity table mirror behind him. "Am I still on about that?!" she shouted. "Yes! I am still on about that, ya fuckin' gobshite!" The pups ran out of the tent.

"Oh don't you play the martyr here, Lillian!" Arthur shouted back. "You didn't say anythin' better to me!"

"All I said was for ya tah stop treatin' me like...well, ya know what I said!"

"You still knew how I'd react!"

"I wasna tryin' tah hurt ya!"

Arthur huffed. "It hurt me all the same!"

"I know! But what you said? Oh, ya said it tah get back at me! And I would forgive ya fer it if ya hadna been ignorin' me this whole bloody time!"

Arthur closed in on her, his face red from anger. "And you think I can forgive you?!"

"Of course not! I shouldna said it and I am sorry, but ya think ya can take me fer granted like that and get away with it now that I'm yer god damn wife!" Lilly started to shake, her fists clenched and the muscles in her face tightened.

"I don't take you for granted!"

"Like hell ya don't! Like with our fight in Blackwater, ya ignored me and ya didna appreciate what we had until I went missin'!"

"Oh, you think I don't appreciate us?" Arthur shoved her into the dresser and pressed his body against her. "I am goin' to show you exactly how much I appreciate you, you loud mouthed little shit!"

"Fuckin' pigheaded bastard!"

"Stupid, ungrateful trollop!"

"God damn arse faced shite!"

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck you too!" Arthur and Lilly stared each other down, both breathing laboriously from their fighting. In a matter of moments they engaged in a frenzied and heated kiss. Arthur gripped her loose hair tightly in one hand as the other gripped the back of Lilly's shirt, squishing her to his chest. In an abrupt series of swift movements, Arthur swirled her around, bent her over the dresser and pulled down her pants to the knees. Lilly listened to him fumbling around with his belt buckle. "Do you need help?" she snapped.

"Shut up!"

Lilly turned around and pushed a finger to his chest. "Don't ya take that tone with me, ya piece of shite!"

Arthur grasped her hand and pinned it to the dresser, making her gasp in surprise. "Turn the fuck around, Lillian!"

"Make me!"

Arthur tilted his head with flaring nostrils and angry eyes before grabbing her waist and twisting her around. Arthur slammed Lilly's chest down and shoved his cock into her. Lilly whimpered in pain and pleasure as he forcefully plunged into her continually. He yanked her up by the hair, bit down hard on her neck and growled every time he went inside her, making her yelp in shock. "You're gonna hate sittin' down after I'm done with you, Lillian Rose Morgan."

Lilly wasn't sure if she was turned on or a little peeved at Arthur's sudden dominance over her. Maybe it was both, but her thoughts on the issue evaporated when his thrust became more powerful and rapid as did the sounds emanating from his throat. The force of the pleasure made Lilly's eyes roll up into her head and the muscles of her jaw relax, making her mouth hang open. Her throat and lungs, however, were overworking themselves from the noises and loud breaths being forced from her body. Lilly couldn't do much else, she was so immobilized by the ferocity of Arthur's very welcome assault. His teeth were still on the flesh of her neck and he kept biting her, his hand pulling hard on Lilly's hair. The mixed physical sensations made her orgasm and she covered her mouth to muffle her screams of pleasure.

He chuckled gruffly. "Did somebody miss me?" he asked.

"Yes..." she breathed rapidly.

"Good."

He yanked her around, lifted her on the dresser, pulled her pants and boots off, and plunged into her again. Lilly held onto him as he gripped her shirt and hair once more, resuming his previous motions inside of her. Lilly's legs went around him and Arthur and Lilly continued to grunt, groan, moan, cry out, and speak jibberish with each stroke. Lilly suddenly came again and the spasms inside her made her climax intensely amplified. Arthur's grunts got louder and louder until he came inside her and groaned out from it. Both had ragged breaths and chests heaved against the other. Arthur instantly pulled away and buckled his pants and belt back up without looking at her.

Lilly thought this was strange and bent down to pick her pants up. "That was amazin', Arthur."

"Yes it was," he said with controlled anger. "But I'm still furious with you."

Lilly buttoned her pants up and scoffed at him. "So...wait, what was all that, then?"

Arthur began to tuck his blue shirt into the waistband of his pants. "To show that I appreciate you, that's all."

Lilly's jaw dropped. "So you fucked me to prove a point?!"

"Yes." He glared at her. "What did you think it was?"

"Make-up sex!"

Arthur shook his head and chortled. "You read that wrong."

He turned to leave but Lilly yanked him around. "We just had sex and you're leavin'?!"

"Yep." Lilly punched him hard in the face and his body jerked to the side as he shut his eyes, then shook his head and stared at her in disbelief. "What the hell was that for?" he shouted, rubbing his obviously sore jaw and cheek.

"Náire ort! Conas is féidir leat caitheamh liom mar fraochÚn?" [Shame on you! How can you treat me as a whore?]

Arthur blinked. "I ain't treatin' you like a whore."

Lilly got in his face. Now it was her turn to be furious. "Ya called me the one thing I am the most insecure about, ya ignored me fer almost two weeks, then ya have the nerve tah have sex with me just tah prove a point? Ya did the exact opposite of appreciatin' me!"

Arthur looked clueless. "What do you mean?"

Lilly's voice went low as she chose her next words deliberately. "Níor thug tú mo onóir dom. Bhris tú ár mionn." [You didn't honor me. You broke our oath.]

Based on the expression of humor on Arthur's face, he wasn't taking it seriously. "Mar má tá tú i gcónaí ag déanamh onóir dom? Is minic a bhriseann tú an mhionn agus ní deirim aon rud riamh!" [As if you are always honoring me? You often break the oath and I never say anything!]

"Not this badly and never on purpose!" Lilly shouted.

The whole gang stared at the Morgan tent as Arthur and Lilly's voices got louder and louder. Sean sighed as he handed Karen his flask of whiskey. "Jesus, those two."

Karen took a swig. "I know."

"Ugh! Yer a bastard!" they heard Lilly shout.

"And you're a bitch!" Arthur shouted back.

Sean giggled uncomfortably. "Hey Abigail, I think you need to talk to Arthur."

Abigail arched a brow as she glanced at Sean. "Why?"

"Didn't ya say somethin' about Lilly havin' mood swings? Do ya think Arthur understands any of that?"

Abigail sighed. "You have a point."

"Mood swings?" Bill asked. "I thought this was Lilly's regular temper."

"No, it's not. This is much worse. Her and Arthur haven't spoken in almost two weeks. Where the hell have you been, Bill?" Sean asked humorously.

"Scopin' out a bank job."

"Oh really? Huh. Good on ya, mate."

A crash was heard from the tent. "I've heard enough outta ya, Morgan! Yer gonna be lucky if I ever let ya back into me bed!" Lilly yelled.

"As if I want to now! Not with the way you're actin'!" Arthur yelled back.

"Get out!"

"You know what? No! I think I'll stay now!"

"GET OUT!"

They heard Arthur laugh. "Are you stupid?! You know that don't work on me!"

"Oh boy," Javier said with a sigh. "They really hate each other, don't they?"

"No, this is love," Ditch laughed. "The whole basis of their relationship is to drive each other nuts. Been like that since day one."

"Really?" Micah laughed. "For fifteen years?"

"Oh yes," Dutch said.

"Get out of the tent!" Lilly belted.

"Make me!" Arthur dared.

"Good grief," Charles said, pinching his brow. "And you approve of this relationship?"

"Name any other man that can go toe to toe with Lilly or any other woman that can fight tooth and nail with Arthur. Charles, do you think after this love tiff is over, you and Arthur could-"

Arthur came stumbling out of the tent. "Don't you kick me out of our tent, Lillian!" He stormed back in. "I live here too, you god damn crazy woman!"

"Yer already sleepin' somewhere else, Arthur!" Lilly snapped. "Ya havena slept in here fer almost two weeks!"

"That was my choice! Now I'm stayin' in here just to piss you off!"

"Ya put one finger on that bed, I'll gut ya!"

"Oh, that's a good way to treat the father of your child! Threaten to kill him!" A chair came flying out of the tent and broke. Arthur laughed. "Now ya done it! Congratulations, honey! You broke a god damn chair!"

John sighed. "You know, not even Abigail and I fight this bad. I kinda feel bad for Arthur."

Abigail smacked John's shoulder lightly. "Why Arthur?"

John smiled. "Mood swings. He don't have a damn clue. I do, though. Yours were awful."

"Shut up, John."

Hosea sighed. "I think we need to go break it up."

"Why?" A lot of the group members asked.

"It's entertaining!" Micah said with a laugh.

Another piece of furniture came flying out. "Stop throwin' things! You'll over exert yourself!" they heard Arthur again.

"I'm practicin' to throw ya out on yer arse, ya fat, stupid Sasanach!" [Englishman!]

"I'm fat? Ha! Says the pregnant lady!"

"I'm not fat! I barely got a baby bump!"

"Wait, barely? Are you startin' to show?"

"YES, NOT THAT YOU WOULD'A NOTICED! Hey! Get yer stinkin' paws off me!"

"Stop it and let me feel the baby bump!" Arthur laughed.

"Fuck off, ya eejit!"

"Because I don't think all this stress is good for the baby," Hosea explained. "This can't be good for her nerves, either."

"Ha. Girl is deadlier than anythin' but she has anxiety problems?" Micah observed. "What made her like that?"

"None of us know the half of it," Dutch sighed. "You do have a point, Hosea. Come on." The two men ambled on over.

"I hate ya, Arthur! I wish I never married ya!" Lilly belted out.

"Oh, you don't mean that, sweet pea!" Arthur said sarcastically. "Then we'd have a bastard child and then you'd be "dishonored" in Ireland, Countess of Moycullen!"

"Stop tryin' tah touch me stomach!"

"But I wanna feel my kid!"

"Ya canna feel the baby yet!"

"Would you two quit your god damn marital bickerin'?" Dutch shouted. "You got a job to go do, Arthur!"

Arthur poked his head out. He had blood on his lip. "What is it?" he groaned.

"I think you should pay Mr. Trelawny a visit and find out exactly what he knows and who he spoke to."

"With the bounty hunters?"

"Yes." Dutch lit up a cigar. "Take Charles with you. The sight of the pair of you would make a statue sing out its secrets."

Arthur grumbled. "Fiiine. Gimme a second." Arthur poked his head back in.

"We ain't done with this, Lilly." Arthur pointed at her before leaving the tent.

Lilly huffed, crossed her arms, and sat down on the bed. "Arsehole," she muttered to herself. "Such a feckin' arsehole."

"Lilly?" Hosea called. "Let's talk."

"What are we doin'?" Charles asked Arthur.

"Dutch wants us to have a...talk with Trelawny. About these bounty hunters that are comin' for us. Hopin' he can tell us who they are or where they're comin' from," Arthur explained as they rode along.

"Okay. And you're deputies now?"

"Heh heh, somethin' like that. Soon as we laid eyes on that fool of a sheriff who runs that town, I knew Dutch was gonna play him like a fiddle."

"On the run from one bunch of lawmen, workin' for another. Interestin'."

"Hidin' in plain sight", Dutch calls it," Arthur said, chuckling in a low tone.

"Hmm. So...are you and Lilly doin' okay?"

Arthur sighed. "Not really. We had a pretty bad fight."

"I see. Want to talk about it?"

"I guess. I don't even remember how it started, but she brought up Eliza and Isaac, so I...sorta called her a freak of nature," Arthur said regretfully. "I only meant that she has...you know, "abilities", but the words I used were the wrong ones."

"Damn."

"I know. I feel bad about it, but god dammit, she knows how I am about my son and Eliza."

"Hmm," Charles said. "Interestin'."

"What?" Arthur scrunched his brow.

"Well, you know Lilly's got a lot of past trauma, or we can assume she does."

"She does. Lilly even had a night terror over in Ireland, but don't tell anyone. She'll get embarassed," he said, sighing in frustration.

"I won't. But...don't you think if you set an example of movin' past what happened to Isaac and Eliza, she could move past her own troubles?"

Arthur slowed his horse to a stop and Charles did as well. "I never thought about it that way," Arthur said. "It's really hard to talk abo-oh, now I remember what started the fight. She had a dream and when I asked her about it, she wouldn't tell me, so I got mad. I came back and we argued about the cougar and how she needs to watch out for herself and the baby. I mean, she can obviously handle herself and I...didn't."

Charles chuckled. "You feel like you can't protect her as a man should. Is that why you got mad?"

Arthur hadn't considered that either, not that he really thought about it. "You know, I think you may be right. Or at least right about part of it." There was something else nagging at him about it. "The other part...was because she died."

"Because you were helpless to prevent it."

"Mmhmm."

"Well, if she hadn't died, do you think you two would be havin' a baby now? Because somethin' tells me her infertility was healed when she came back to life."

Arthur eyed Charles thoughtfully. "Yes, we both thought that too. But...I still broke my oath."

"Your oath?"

22-year-old Arthur, wearing his gunslinger outfit, was tending to a cut to Lilly's arm. He eyed the red headed girl in a ponytail, a black chemise shirt, and tan knee length shorts with a chastising look. "You need to be more careful with your knives, sweetheart," Arthur said.

Lilly sighed. "I'm allowed a fuck up every once in a while, ain't I?"

Arthur chuckled. "You and your mouth. Yes, you are. But Lilly, I get worried." She'd only been with them a couple of weeks and she'd already integrated herself well within the group. "This might need stitches. I can go get Susan to-"

Lilly pulled out a needle and thread kit from her side bag. "Nope, I got it."

Arthur blinked. "You can stitch yourself up?"

"I done it before," she said with an eye roll. "I been on my own for a while now. Had to learn to take care of myself."

"But that's...that's somethin'," he laughed. Lilly pulled out a small bottle of whiskey and drank it. "Woa woa woa, you shouldn't be drinkin'! You're seven!"

"It's for the pain." Lilly threaded the needle, lit a match, held the flame to the tip, and blew out the match. She poked her skin and hissed as she pushed it through and began to stitch. "Son of a bitch. Just keep talkin' so I don't feel it as much."

Arthur tilted his head. "Why'd you burn it?"

"A hot knife cuts through butter easier than a cold one, and I heard it helps prevent infections. Don't ask me why, I ain't got a clue."

Arthur chuckled as he watched her work. "You're an amazin' kid."

"Ah, stop. People keep, ouch, tellin' me that. It's gonna go to me bloomin' head soon. I don't like havin' an ego especially, owie, if it's undeserved."

Arthur lifted her chin. "It is deserved. I ain't met any young kid, let alone a girl, so...capable, resourceful, and lethal as you are."

Lilly blushed. "I...thank you, Arthur."

He removed his finger and watched her continue. "How did you learn all these things?"

Lilly paused mid pull, then she looked at him with a serious face. "I'm a natural, what can, oooof, I say?"

Arthur scoffed in disbelief. "No one taught you these things?"

"...I was taught, yes."

"By who?"

"No one," she said with a smirk. Lilly went back to stitching. "I need, oowww, to concentrate."

"But didn't you want me to talk?"

"Yes, just not about things like that. They're bad, grr, this hurts...they're bad subjects."

"Okay, but, how am I supposed to make sure not to accidentally mention somethin'?"

"You're a smart man." Lilly cut the thread with her teeth and put the needle back in the kit before finishing off her stitch job. "You'll figure it out."

Arthur laughed. "I ain't that smart."

Lilly put a hand to his cheek. "Mo Fear Álainn, you are smarter than you know."

Arthur smiled and pat her hand. "Thanks."

"I got an idea," she cleared her throat and removed her hand. "I'd like to make a deal."

"Okay? Shoot."

Lilly put the needle and thread kit away then giggled. "Oh, a little drunky wunky. Ahem. You protect me, I protect you. You have my back, I have yours. And we will never dishonor each other. Well, not severely, at least. We fight too much to hold that part up seriously."

Arthur almost giggled. "Alright, deal. Do we shake on it?"

Lilly squinted her eyes and grinned. "I think an oath would be more sufficient."

"An oath?" Arthur made a playful face. "That's some serious shit."

"Yes it is. Are you okay with enterin' an oath with me?"

"Of course."

"Okay." Lilly got to the floor on her knees. "Come on."

Arthur sat on his knees. Lilly lifted a leg and placed an arm on her knee, bowing her head. When Arthur didn't do the same, she looked at him. "Ahem."

"Oh! Sorry," he chuckled and mirrored Lilly's position.

Lilly bowed her head once more. "Repeat after me."

Arthur took off his hat and scratched his scalp. "When she was a kid, we both made an oath to one another. To protect one another, always have each other's backs, and to...never dishonor each other so bad that it hurts one or both of us. I believe I broke that oath today, too." He wasn't one to get real deep on things, although he was capable of doing it. Arthur was used to people thinking he was only a big dumb brute, so he ended up believing it himself. But all this thinking was really opening up issues he never really knew were there. Being unable to keep his wife safe after so many years of guarding her was a big deal, he realized. "I fucked up, Charles."

"Did she mention it?"

"Yes."

"Can you fix it?"

"I damn well better fix it. Thank you Charles, for uh, helpin' me see my grievous error. I will think of a way to rectify it."

"You're welcome," Charles said with a smile. "You're not as dumb as people think you are."

"Ah, I don't know about that," Arthur snickered, fiddling with his hat.

"I don't think Lilly could love a dumb guy."

Arthur sighed. "Maybe, but she loves me anyway."

They resumed their horses. "So, other than that, spirits seem good. In the new camp, I mean."

Lilly was out riding. She needed some time to think about what Hosea and her talked about. Did she make the right choice telling him about what Catherine Braithwaite said to her? As Lilly got near Heartland Overflow, she saw that silly photographer Albert Mason with his camera set up. Huh. What was he taking pictures of now?

"Damn blasted thing," Lilly heard the man say.

Lilly got off Doc and approached Mr. Mason. "Hey there, Mr. Mason!" she greeted him.

The man practically jumped out of his skin. "Ha! Mrs. Morgan."

"How are ya, sir?"

"Indigestible, apparently. Aside from that, very well," he said, looking into his camera.

"So, how's your photography endeavor goin'?"

"Well, I'm in God's country, and I am his faithful servant. Although perhaps not his most talented one." He bent down to grab binoculars and handed it to Lilly. "I have been trying to capture the grace of the wild horses here for weeks. Only the buggers can't stand me."

Lilly looked through them and smiled. "Ooooh. I think...that one is ah, uh...hmm...Arthur would be better at this than me."

"Silver dapple pinto. Speaking of, where is your husband?"

"Damned if I know, perhaps gallivantin' somewhere, doin' God knows what. I don't care."

"You don't?"

Lilly lowered the binoculars and looked at him. "We haven't spoken for two weeks, then when we finally spoke this morning, it turned into yet another fight."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Ah, we fight a lot and we always find our way back, but we just ain't ready for it right now. I'm not, anyway. He dishonored me big time." Lilly looked through the binoculars again at the rare color patterned horse. "Such a pretty horse." She handed Albert the binoculars and he looked through them.

"I know. Beautiful. Won't come anywhere near me of course. He can smell my stupidity. But what do you mean he dishonored you?"

Lilly laughed. "I don't know you well enough to tell you that." She grinned at him knowingly.

It took Albert a few moments before his cheeks turned a profusely red color. "Oh my."

"Yes. Now you get it."

"Well, did he mean to...dishonor you?"

"He doesn't see it that way. He saw it as a means to prove he...appreciates me," she said, handing Albert back the binoculars. "And he...heh heh heh, he made a very strong argument in that regard."

"Mrs Morgan, if I may be so frank, what was the fight about?"

"He got mad because I wouldn't tell him a secret."

"What secret?"

"My secret. I have secrets. I'm known for havin' plenty of 'em and he knows not to pry but now that I'm his wife, I think he feels I should tell him everythin'."

"You don't think you should?" Albert asked in a confused tone.

"...It's not a matter of if I should, it's a matter of if I can."

"...Oh. I see."

Lilly shook her head to keep the bad memories from focusing in on her awareness. "Now, as for those horses, I can coax 'em over here for ya if you'd like that."

"Hmm, that'll help...can you be bothered? I feel like such a blunderer."

"I wasn't really goin' anywhere. This'll be fun," she giggled, backing away enthusiastically. "I'll be back, just get your camera ready!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Lilly got on her horse and with a click of her tongue, Dubh Sainglenn got to moving. As she got closer, she took a wide berth to the left. She'd have to get around and flank them. She got close enough and started shouting...gently. They got spooked and started trotting away in the direction of Mr. Mason. She followed them past the trees on the hill they'd been grazing on. They surprisingly kept in line the whole time.

"Strange," she said. "Alright, come on. H'yah!" Doc started trotting faster and so did the others. They went by a small dirt cliff and once they reached the water's edge, Lilly really shouted. "GO!!!"

The horses ran off towards Mr. Mason and Lilly saw a flash from his camera as the horses ran by. Haha, yep. A job well done. Lilly galloped back to Mr. Mason with a smile.

"Mrs. Morgan!" the man yelled in delight. "You are a genius!"

Lilly got off her horse and laughed, walking over to Albert. "Aww shucks, thanks. You're too kind."

"Hmm hmm."

"So, how are the photos comin'? Are they good?"

"Oh! Amazing! Here!" He bent down to his bag. "I have," he grabbed a photo and stood up straight to show Lilly, "a print of the wolves. Before they tried to eat us." He handed her the photo and Lilly gasped. "It's for you and your husband."

"Wow. This...this is an amazing photo! You really are an artist of God, Mr. Mason!"

"Hahaha, well, that is the best compliment I could ask for. Oh, I almost forgot! I have a print of you and Mr. Morgan with Brian and James..." He dug in his bag and handed that to Lilly as well.

Lilly chuckled and looked at the picture. Her and Arthur looked so happy together and it made her smile. "Are you sure we can have it? My husband and I?"

"Oh of course. It is the least I can do for helping me out time and time again."

Lilly smiled and tipped her hat. "Well, thank you. I'll see ya around, you take care, Mr. Mason," she said, pocketing the photos in her satchel.

"Mrs. Morgan?"

"Yes?"

Mr. Mason hesitated for a moment before grasping her hands in his. "I hope I am not being too forward, but your secrets shouldn't be kept bottled up. You would feel better if you talked about them to someone, and the bond between man and wife is a good way to...accomplish that."

"What are you sayin'?"

"I'm saying you don't have to carry the burden of secrets on your own. I'm sure Mr. Morgan would gladly help you carry it. I mean, what is stopping you?"

Lilly frowned. Perhaps he was right. She wish she could talk about these things, but every time she wanted to, the emotions behind them would threaten to swallow her whole. Lilly realized what one of those emotions were. "Fear, Mr. Mason. Fear of...judgment. And...perhaps shame, too."

Mason let go of her hands and sighed. "For better or worse, Mrs. Morgan. You know that and he does too."

When Lilly got back, she saw Trelawny was in the camp. "Ah, Lilly!" he said.

Lilly approached him and saw he was kind of beaten up. "Uh oh. What happened to you?"

Trelawny sighed. "Bounty hunters. They kidnapped me and tried to make me give you all up, but I would not. Arthur and Charles came to my rescue, however."

"Hmm, did they?" Lilly asked, her arms crossed. "Well, I'm happy they did."

"Thank you, my lady."

Lilly laughed, tipped her hat and turned to see Arthur riding in with the boys. Shit. She didn't want to deal with that now. Not after her talk with Mr. Mason. She wasn't ready for that yet. She power walked to the tent, grabbed a book and pretended to read. God, why did he have to show up now? She wasn't ready for talking. She wasn't ready to forgive him. Lilly felt herself get on the brink of another panic attack, but she managed to calm herself down as Arthur's silhouette appeared on the tent flaps.

"Lillian," Arthur said as he walked in. She eyed him from her peripherals.

"Arthur. To what do I owe the displeasure?" she asked coldly.

Arthur growled in a subtle, low voice. "Cut the bullshit. We need to talk."

"What you did today does not merit a discussion with me just now."

Arthur growled with more vigor. "God dammit, Lillian! I just-"

"No!" Lilly threw the book down. "What you did today was unforgiveable! And you know what?"

"What?! What now, Lillian?!"

Lilly stood up. "May the sun never rise for you, may the moon never shine upon you, and may you stay blind to the stars!"

Arthur glared at her. "Lillian. Don't you dare do tha-"

"May the gods of my people curse you! May the land open to swallow you whole!"

"Enough, Lillian!"

"May the sea rise to drown you! May the sky fall upon you!"

"Lilly! Stop!" Arthur shouted.

"I will never forgive ya, Arthur Morgan! Now get the fuck outta me tent or I will throw ya out! Do ya hear me?!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes more. "Fine! But when you want me back, maybe I won't take you back, Lillian!"

"That's fine with me, false husband!"

Arthur gaped at her. "What did you just say?"

Uh oh. "I...it just slipped out. But...I-"

"I think I've heard enough. False wife." Arthur turned on his heels and left.

Lilly smacked herself in the head. "Lilly, you're an eejit," she said to herself. "Arthur!" She went running out after him. "Arthur! I didn't mean that. I'm sorry."

Arthur turned around and glared at her. "Do me a favor and don't talk to me for a long while."

Lilly bowed her head. "I...alright. I am sorry, fhear céile." She turned around and walked back to her tent with a sad gait. "Why did I say that to him?" she asked herself as she entered the tent.