Chapter is rated M for sexual content.

Chapter 62: Noise

It was morning and Arthur, in his summer gunslinger outfit, kissed his sleeping wife. He said goodbye to the wolves who were half asleep on the floor and exited the tent. He took Rose into Annesburg to meet up with Micah and Dutch. When he got there, Micah and Dutch were waiting for him by the mining houses.

"You ready?" Dutch asked.

"Yes," Arthur said.

The trio walked up the road towards the mines and saw men with guns standing just outside the mining office. "I bet Cornwall's in there..." Dutch said.

Sure enough, the door slammed open and Leviticus came storming out. "I bought into this mine because of mismanagement, Mr. Didsbury, and I intend to make it a success, no matter what the cost."

"It's the wages," a man said as he came out of the office. "Folk feel..."

Leviticus interrupted him. "Folk feel?! Business doesn't give two figs about feelings, sir. Not two figs. It's a nonsense that will put a plague on both our houses, sir..."

"Perhaps there is a plague on your house already, Mr. Cornwall," Dutch said.

Leviticus looked over and sighed. "Mr. Van der Linde. I take it that business with Brutus was taken care of?"

"Of course."

"And Lilly?"

"She is a little better, though updatin' you on her well being is not exactly why we're here."

"What do you want?"

"I'm not quite sure, just yet," Dutch said with a finger up.

"Your impudence will be your undoing, sir."

Dutch put both his hands up. "I'm undone already." He pointed to Arthur. "Even my best friend here, he thinks I'm crazy...and like," Dutch motioned to Mr. Didsbury, "this poor fellow you are talking to, my feelings are hurt."

"You robbed me and took my niece."

"No. You took my daughter." Dutch pointed to Arthur. "His wife. And you," Dutch pointed to Cornwall, "want to kill her and take her children. And you robbed him," Dutch motioned to Mr. Didsbury. "Funny world."

"You show a criminal's grasp of sophistry. I did no such thing."

Dutch pointed again. "You kill. I kill. You rob. I rob." Cornwall moved closer. "Only difference I can see is I choose," Dutch motioned to himself, "whom I kill and rob, and you destroy everything in your path."

"I've heard just about enough."

"I'll tell you what. You give me your ship, ten thousand dollars and safe passage out of here, I'll let you live."

Leviticus started laughing along with his guards. "I'll do no such thing."

"You sure?" There was a pause of silence. "Good. I prefer it this way." Dutch quickly pulled out his gun and shot Leviticus Cornwall in the chest.

"You've lost your mind!" Arthur yelled as they ducked behind cover, the guards shooting at all three of them.

"Noise, Arthur! Noise!"

Horses. An oak tree in a cave. The cave near Colter. Dutch shooting Leviticus Cornwall. Eagle Flies in camp. Dutch and Arthur jumping off a cliff into a river. Square charms in the woods. Butcher's Creek. Susan getting shot. Arthur talking to Sister Calderon.

"I'm afraid," he says with tears in his eyes.

The snake in Dutch's ear. "Just shoot the girl, Dutch. Kill her."

Lilly finds herself on the riverbanks of Tír na nÓg. The old washerwoman is there washing blood stained clothes. She looks at Lilly with a smile.

"Ah, there you are. Come come, help me wash." Lilly kneels down and helps the woman wash, but she says nothing. Badb frowns. "What is wrong, my child?"

"My husband is dyin'. I couldn't save Molly. There's a snake who is also a rat in the camp influencin' my Da, I was raped. Take your pick on what's wrong."

"All of those things, I would imagine."

"Yeah," Lilly scoffs.

"Why didn't you follow the vision and feed Brutus to your wolves?"

Lilly sighs as she scrubs the soap into Susan's clothes. "Because I'm sick and tired of revenge. I've had plenty of it...too much of it. I'm done with it."

"Yes, but why do you feel this way?"

"Hell if I know. I just want to save my husband and get to Ireland with everyone."

"Not everyone will be goin'."

Lilly stops and looks at Badb. "Why not?"

"Some people are going to leave the gang, my dear. They're losing hope."

"Can I help with that?"

"I'm afraid the damage is done, Lilly, but you can certainly try."

"And my fathers? Will they be coming to Ireland?"

The washer woman sighs. "One of your fathers, dear. The other stays behind, but that could change."

"And Arthur? Is he goin' to die from tuberculosis?"

Babd sighs in frustration. "He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Honestly, does he never say anything to..." Badb looks off in the distance. "Oh no."

Lilly looks over at the horizon and sees a storm coming in. "What is that?"

Lightning strikes and thunder booms. "That is very dark magic penetrating our realm. I must get the others to safety."

The Badb turns into Nemain, in the form of the giant red wolf. "Lilly, you must go. This may be the last time you see Tír na nÓg for a while."

"Well, wait a minute. What about Arthur? Will he get better from my treatments? And what is that storm doing here?" She asked her three questions.

"You shall see, my dear. You shall see. As for that storm, well...that you won't have to deal with for at least a year, maybe two. Now go."

Lilly gasped when she woke up. What the hell was that all about? She got up immediately and started writing down her vision. When she was done, she went over her vision again. What did Arthur not tell her? What was that strange storm? Why would only one of her fathers possibly come to Ireland, and which one would it be? Lilly shook her head. She'd think on this later.

Arthur, Micah, and Dutch, on stolen horses, rode through the river as Cornwall's men chased them. Arthur shot the last one in sight.

"Looks like we've lost them!" Micah shouted.

"For now, maybe!" Arthur shouted back.

They drove the horses out of the river and onto a trail. Soon after that, they stopped. "We all okay?" Dutch asked as he dismounted.

Arthur shook his head with his hands on his hips. "Interestin' social call," he said before sliding off the horse.

"Don't play dumb and superior at the same time, Morgan," Micah said. "We all knew sooner or later Cornwall had to go."

Arthur nodded. "I know, but it had to be now? And like that, in front of all those people? It's more attention we don't need. Feels like the whole world's closin' on us. Dutch!" Arthur walked over to Dutch. "It won't be long before they find where we're hidin' out now, especially as we ain't exactly hidin' out!"

"We just need a distraction," Dutch assured Arthur. "Buy us some time."

Arthur scoffed. "Dutch, you have lost your mind."

Dutch glared at Arthur. "Oh really? Micah," Dutch looked over at Micah, "have I lost my mind?"

"On the contrary, boss, you have found your mind," Micah said, letting out a deep chuckle.

Arthur shook his head. "Dutch, you gotta start listenin' to folk. We are only lookin' out for you as you do us, but lately you haven't been lookin' out for anyone but yourself!"

"Oh, and who are you lookin' out for, Arthur?" Dutch snapped at him. "Because you've done a bang up job keepin' my daughter, your pregnant wife, safe! Goin' off and savin' John against my wishes, gettin' Lilly imprisoned, Lilly bein' raped! Was that you lookin' out for her?! Huh?! Was it?!" Dutch started shouting.

Arthur wanted to argue, but he found that he could not. "I just didn't want John hanged, Dutch."

Dutch sighed and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Neither did I. I know that what happened to Lilly wasn't your fault. I'm sorry, son. You were just...tryin' to do what you thought was best. But just...next time, listen to me. Have faith in me."

Arthur nodded. "I do have faith in you, but...you're not actin' like yourself lately. And we got so many people on our tail."

Dutch clapped his hand on Arthur and chuckled. "Well, at least Cornwall is gone. You know what that means, don't you?"

Arthur blinked, then he smiled. "Lilly no longer has a price on her head."

"Right."

Arthur laughed, as did Dutch. "Well, shit. That sure is somethin'."

Dutch smiled and pulled out some papers. "Micah got these yesterday from that Janson fella. It looks like Mr. Cornwall's company has signed a railroad contract with the army and they're also movin' dynamite down from, well, the Annesburg mines to Saint Denis to resell. And there's bonds at his oil factory. So maybe there's a way to get them off our back and get the money that we need. Micah's gonna look into this dynamite with Bill. Arthur, you go too. We're gonna need a lot of it," Dutch said, walking over to his stolen horse. "And Micah, we need to talk. Figure out some things."

"'Course, boss," Micah replied.

"Figure out what?" Arthur asked.

They both looked at Arthur. "The plan," Dutch replied to Arthur's question. "Gettin' outta here. Nothin's changed."

Arthur didn't like this. "It hasn't, huh?"

"There's an old house west of Van Horn," Micah said. "Meet me there when you can, Black Lung."

"Let's split up. We'll meet up back at camp," Dutch said, and with that, Micah and Dutch went riding off.

What the hell kind of plan was Dutch discussing with Micah, and why wasn't Arthur part of it? He went and found Rose, got rid of the stolen horse, and got back to camp. Lilly was just mounting up with Brian and James at her side when he got back to camp. She smiled at him and leaned down when he neared her. "Hello, mo chuisle."

"Hello, mo stór," Arthur dismounted and gave her a quick peck. "We need to talk."

"I agree. I had another vision this morning."

"Cornwall's dead."

Lilly's eyebrows raised. "Let me guess. Dutch shot him."

Arthur chuckled. "Yes, was that in your vision?"

"Yep. Is that what you wanted to discuss?"

"Yes. Where were you about to head off to?"

"To go hunt some elk."

"Well, let's go huntin'."

Arthur and Lilly, after shooting down a bull elk and some deer, set up camp in the mountains and went hiking. Once again, Arthur felt better with his breathing and smiled at his doting wife who had decided to bring goats milk with. "You know, I think there's somethin' to this exercising in the mountains," he commented as he took a drink of milk from the leather pouch.

Lilly made a face, and Arthur couldn't tell what it meant. "That's good."

"Is somethin' wrong?"

"I..." she fiddled with her fingers and they stopped walking. "...Arthur, do you really think the hiking in the mountains and the milk is gonna work, or are you just tryin' to make me feel better?"

Arthur chuckled. "Don't be so negative. In fact, I might fully recover, accordin' to The Morrigan."

Lilly lifted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Three days before we got you, she came by to tell us what was happening and where to be and when to get you. She also said I'd be healed, but not just yet."

Lilly's eyes looked happy all of a sudden. "That's...that's wonderful news!" Lilly jumped into his arms and kissed all over his face. "You wonderful, wonderful man!"

Arthur laughed. "Yes, I am. I'm comin' to Ireland with you and I will be there for the," he switched to an Irish accent, "wee bairns, me beautiful lass."

He heard Lilly giggle and she turned around to look at him. "You do such a horrible accent."

Arthur didn't stop talking like an Irishman. "Oh, me dear bonnie Irish lass, dunna make me out to be a gobshite, now."

Lilly burst into a fit of giggles and Arthur was glad to see her smiling again. "Stop it," she laughed. "You're such an eejit."

Arthur caressed her rump with both hands. "I canna help it, lassie. This lad loves ya and wants ya tah smile as much as the day is long."

Lilly chuckled and kissed Arthur. "I love you, Arthur."

"And I love you, Lilly. Now," he said, pecking her nose with a kiss. "More hikin'?"

Lilly smirked evily, leaned in, and licked his earlobe. "I was thinkin' of a different sort of," Lilly started unbuckling his belt, "exercise regiment for you."

"Ooh," he said happily. "What did you have in mind?"

Lilly unbuttoned his pants and reached inside to feel his member. He groaned and pushed into her hand. "The kind where I suck your cock."

Arthur laughed and kissed her deeply. "I think I approve."

The boys groaned and went running off. Lilly laughed and got on her knees. "I bet you do."

Lilly pulled him out of his pants and sucked on the tip. Arthur felt his knees get weak and he groaned as he put a hand in Lilly's auburn hair. "God, Lillian..."

It felt incredible and he wished she did it more often, but she didn't seem to know this. Right now, though, he was not going to complain as he felt her mouth envelope him fully. His cock started getting hard and her head began to move back and forth. He leaned his head back and looked up the sky. Arthur grabbed Lilly's head with both hands and guided her movements. Fingers began playing with his testicles and he groaned deeply. "Mmm, yeah, that's my girl."

Arthur looked down at his wife and his mouth parted as his breathing got heavier. He started wheezing and suddenly went into a coughing fit. Lilly stopped and stood up. "Oh shite, I'm sorry!"

Arthur shook his head and covered his mouth. It's fine. You're...you're..." suddenly he got very dizzy and collapsed to the ground. Lilly bent over him and Arthur could tell she was talking but he couldn't really make it out.

"...breathe, mo chuisle...get it all out...all out."

Arthur continued coughing and hacking blood and phlegm onto the ground, and then he went unconscious.

Lilly stared at her husband's sleeping form in the makeshift tent and frowned. It was going to be dark soon. They needed to get back. She cooked all the elk and deer meat for them both and packed them into her satchel. At some point the boys came back with dead rabbit offerings and Lilly laughed at how small the rabbits were compared to her giant brothers. She stroked both their necks and realized she didn't even need to bend down to do that anymore. They were, in fact, almost as tall as her now at the top of their heads. The Morrigan's wolf form was still bigger, though. The giant red wolf stood at least six feet at her head. Lilly scruffed them gently and gave them kisses on their necks. Arthur made a soft groan and Lilly peeked over at the tent. He sat up slowly and wheezed, which made Lilly frown.

"You hungry, Arthur? Thirsty?" she asked him.

"Not really," he wheezed.

"Hmm." She pulled out her satchel and grabbed a medicinal shot. "You're gonna need one of these, I think. You still sound like a broken bagpipe."

Lilly went over to the tent and gave him his shot. "Thank you," he said. "Can we...can we just go home now?"

Lilly nodded. "Yeah."

It was the next morning and Arthur, in a black shirt, legion vest, black pants, black western boots and his hat, decided to go around camp checking on everyone before him, Dutch and Micah left. Karen was drunk, Jack was sad, Abigail was worried, Sean was barely upbeat, Uncle was dejected, John was giving up hope, Mr. Pearson knew things were falling apart, Hosea was trying to keep things together because Dutch was not, and mostly everyone else had various yet similar feelings.

Arthur got to Swanson, who was reading a book, and Arthur coughed a little. "Reverend..." he said.

"You okay, Mr..Morgan?" asked the reverend.

Arthur huffed with a twist of his head and a sad, small smile. "I don't know, Reverend."

Reverend Swanson closed his book and stood. "These are challenging times, for all of us."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, very challengin'."

Swanson looked concerned. "You don't seem yourself, somehow. I've always felt...I've left the morphine, sir. I'm-"

"Arthur!" Dutch interrupted. "Reverend Swanson, would you excuse us a minute."

Arthur pat Swanson on the arm. "Of course," Swanson said as Arthur walked to Dutch just outside the Morgan tent.

"Is Lilly sleeping still?" Dutch asked.

Arthur poked his head in and nodded. "Yep. She is out like a light." He looked at Dutch as they both sat down in chairs. "Why?"

"They have been chasin' us south and east and west. We're gonna get a boat, we're gonna get on a river, and we're gonna go north to New York. Then another boat to Ireland. But we have to make a whole lot of smoke," Dutch said with a raised and clenched fist. "A whole lot of commotion, and then we disappear."

"We need more commotion?

"One score, and one whole hell of a lot of noise."

Arthur shook his head. "We ain't so good at doin' scores any more, Dutch," he said as he leaned forward.

Dutch stared at him in disbelief. "Are you feelin' alright, Arthur?"

Arthur decided Dutch needed to know about the rat and the snake vision. "Dutch, I'm wonderin' the same about you, and Lilly had a-"

"Pardon me for interrupting," Charles said.

There was an Indian that Charles and Karen let in. It was Eagle Flies. Dutch and Arthur stood up. "I've brought a friend, Arthur."

"Hello," Arthur said in greeting.

"Hello," Eagle Flies said back.

They shook hands. "Dutch, this is Eagle Flies. His father is a great chief. Lilly and Charles, they, uh..."

"Pretended to be mercenaries," Eagle said. "Did me a great favor."

Dutch extended his hand and Eagle Flies shook it. "Dutch van der Linde. How do you do?"

"Not well, sir."

"Well, I am sorry to hear that."

Just then, Lilly came out in a red button down shirt, brown jeans, black riding boots, and a bulldogger hat. Her hair was in a braid. "What's goin' on out here?" she said. "Ah, Eagle Flies," she said with a head nod. "How are you?"

"Not well," he said, shaking her hand.

"Oh?"

"Father has confused wisdom with weakness. His people, my people, we've suffered too much, been lied to too much. Now, they've taken our horses."

"Who?" Dutch asked Eagke Flies with a scrunched brow.

"The infantry division posted at Fort Wallace," Charles said.

"Why?"

"Colonel Favours is a liar and a murderer. His people won't stop until we're all dead. Without horses, we cannot hunt. Without hunting, we will starve. This is another act of war!" Eagle Flies said angrily.

Dutch nodded. "I see that."

"You have helped me before," Eagle Flies said to Lilly. "And I have money."

"Put your money away, son," Dutch said to him. "What do you think, Charles?"

"You know I told your father I will not fight over some horses," said Charles.

"But I made no such promise," Dutch said.

Hosea intervened. "Dutch, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Athair, please. These people need help," Lilly said. "Shit, let's go get your horses."

Eagle Flies looked at Lilly. "But...you are well into your pregnancy. Are you sure you can-"

Lilly laughed. "Oh, trust me. I'll be fine."

Lilly followed Eagle Flies and Dutch. Hosea shook his head. "This isn't gonna end well," he said, walking away.

"Arthur, we must go with them to try and stop things from getting...out of hand," Charles insisted.

"Well, of course I'm goin' since Lilly's goin', but yes. Come along..." Arthur said and the two walked in the direction of their horses. "We can get them more horses."

"I know. I understand Eagle Flies is angry, but I don't see how this will help anything."

"Especially not with Dutch whipping him and Lilly into a frenzy. We got enough folks comin' after us without adding an army to the list." Arthur and Charles mounted up.

"You're goin' to let these bastards walk all over you? No, you're not!" said Dutch. "This is all that's wrong in this world. Okay, young man, lead the way."

"The horses are on a boat near Van Horn," said Eagle Flies. I have a man waiting for us there with canoes."

"Surely this can be done without killing anyone?" Charles said as they rode out of camp.

"Of course. What will be will be," Dutch said. "Anyway, son, tell me about this Colonel Favours."

"He's a vile man. He and his regiment take pleasure in persecuting us. All the young have been taken from our reservation, shipped off to reform schools. Many women too. The old are weak and sick, but they deliberately withhold medicine and supplies from us," Eagle Flies explained.

"This ends today. You have my word on that."

Arthur rode up beside Dutch again. "Why are you gettin' involved in this, Dutch?"

Lilly trotted next to her husband. "Arthur, what those men are doin' to these people is wrong. We can't just stand by while they suffer, at least I can't," Lilly said with a sad look on her face.

"That's right. You know me. We shoot fellers as need shootin', we save fellers as need savin', feed them as need feedin'," Dutch said with a smile.

"Not this again. It's been quite a while since we helped anyone but ourselves, and even you know that," Arthur complained.

"Then this is a perfect opportunity to break that selfish streak," Lilly said. "Besides, we been on the run in case ya haven't noticed, mo chuisle. We've been needin' to look after ourselves, first and foremost."

"Right!" Dutch said, pointing to his daughter. "I told you," he looked at Arthur. "Noise. We need noise, Arthur. Noise and faith."

"I still don't know what that means," Arthur said.

"Stop questionin' and think. Just think for a second. The Pinkertons have had time to reinforce. The civilized world is closing on us. Who knows what else Molly told them? We need to-"

"I keep tellin' ya, Da! Molly was not the rat!"

"She confessed to it, Lilly!"

"She was drunk! She'd say anythin'! She loved ya, Da! And ya let Grimshaw shoot her! I wilna forgive either of ya fer it, neither!"

Lilly rode up ahead past them and Dutch sighed. "She's so stubborn, Arthur."

"So was Molly. So are you."

Dutch chuckled deeply. "I suppose you're right."

Arthur thought now would be a good time to mention Lilly's vision. "Dutch, look. She's bein' like this because she was supposed to save Molly from gettin' killed."

Dutch gaped at him. "What?"

"She had a vision of Molly's death. She also had a vision about a rat in camp, and a snake whisperin' in your ear."

"A snake whisperin' in my ear?" Dutch cackled. "That's ridiculous! We don't got snakes!"

"She thinks it's symbolic. And if I'm bein' honest, a...heh heh, a fortune tellin' blind man kinda told me the same thing. And he told Lilly the rat and the snake are the same person."

Dutch sighed. "What does it mean, then?"

"We think someone in camp is manipulatin' your behavior."

Dutch narrowed his eyes. "No one can tell me what to do except me, Arthur."

Lilly rode up to Charles and Eagle Flies. She was still quite sour about what happened to Molly and apparently it showed. "You alright, Lilly?" Charles asked.

"No, I'm not. Da still thinks Molly was the rat," she replied bitterly.

"She wasn't?"

"Not accordin' to my..." Lilly paused as she eyed Eagle Flies who was looking at her strangely. "...my sources."

"What sources do you have that determines someone's character?" Eagle Flies asked her.

"It's complicated, Eagle Flies. Very complicated." She looked over at Charles. "We have a snake, too. Someone is changin' Da."

"Someone or something?" Charles pointed out.

"Hmm. Good point." Lilly hadn't considered that and thought about the dark magical storm in Tír na nÓg. Were they somehow connected? "Perhaps it is both."

"I don't follow." Lilly eyeballed Eagle Flies again. He looked quite interested in what Lilly had to say, but it wasn't his business and she didn't know him well enough to reveal her abilities. "Lilly, Eagle Flies can be trusted, you know."

"Maybe," Lilly said, glancing at Charles. "I haven't decided that for myself yet."

Eagle Flies gave her a frown. "You don't trust me with information?"

"You didn't trust me with my wolves, why should I trust you with anythin'?"

As if on cue, Lilly heard howling and they all stopped. Brian and James came out of the woods and Eagle Flies' eyes went wide. "They're...they're so much bigger than when I last saw them."

Lilly dismounted and greeted her brothers. "What are you boys up to?" They whined at her and pawed her arm. Lilly laughed and hugged them both. "I'm sorry, boys, but it's too much of a risk to bring you along. Besides, you won't even fit in the canoes."

"Ah, Lilly, let them come for a little bit," Arthur said. "Clearly they want to be around you."

The wolves groaned deeply at her and she sighed. "You can come with until we get to the canoes, but after that? You guys gotta go."

Lilly mounted back up and the group went forward. "Do they actually understand you?" Eagle Flies asked her.

"Ha! You don't know the half of it."