A.N. Hello everyone. Last we left off Quiet got into a hunting accident. Let's see where I go from here. But first! Stat Chart:
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P.S. Sorry it took so long. Senior in Highschool so...homework takes priority. Plus the other stories I'm working on.
It had been four hours since James had brought Quiet to the local Doctor's Office. In that time, the male heads of the Winter and Snake families met together outside the building.
"So what happened exactly?" Punish asks, wearily rubbing his forehead.
"Unfortunately, I don't know. My son and your daughter went off to hunt on their own and that's all I know. There was also a deer that ran away from them when we arrived."
"You don't think that the deer's antlers got her?"
"I honestly don't know. This is all a huge inconvenience for everyone."
"An inconvenience!? My daughter, if she's lucky, will come out of that buildin' with only a scar. An' it's also possible that she'll lose her voice as well!"
The doctor's assistant opened the door and asked the two of them to come inside. The doctor closed the door to Quiet's room and approached the two concerned men.
"Well, I was able to stitch her neck back together. She should be able to make a full recovery. We were lucky that young man was able to get her here in time."
Both men let out sighs of relief.
"There is bad news though."
The two grew nervous once more.
"Whatever cut her throat, it cut her vocal cords. I'm sorry, but she won't be able to speak anymore."
"God...dammit!" Punish yells.
"I'm sorry." Marcus says, placing a hand on Punish's shoulder.
"Don't touch me," Punish hisses, "it's your fault that this happened. You and your little hunting trip. How do I know you didn't set this up?"
"Don't be ridiculous. What possible reason would I have to hurt your daughter?"
"I don't know, why don't you tell me."
"Gentlemen, if you're going to continue to argue, then take it outside. Some of the patients are trying to rest." The doctor says.
"Fine, but keep your son away from my daughter. You hear me Winter!?"
Punish then takes his leave and storms out of the building. Marcus follows suit, but looked more annoyed than angry. Inside Quiet's room, James was sitting on a chair, holding her hand as she slept. He had been allowed into the room after the surgery, and it had been hard for him to see his best friend so vulnerable. Tears welled around his eyes as he rubbed her hand. It felt soft like silk, of course he knew from experience that she had the strength to knock almost anyone on their ass.
"I won't let them keep us apart."
They stayed in that position for a while longer, but the doctor had James go back home. Night passed very quickly, and in the following days James would sneak out at night and visit Quiet. They would play a game of cards, clean their revolvers, and yes, even cuddle.
The doctor knew about the late night incursions, but didn't stop them, knowing that having someone around would be good for Quiet. After two more days, Quiet was finally let out of the clinic, and she was immediately brought back to her home.
After a quick reunion, Quiet found herself helping her mother with the dinner. Her father wouldn't let her out of the house without her brother, and he was reading a book in his room. Quiet tried her best to not be bored, but it was hard since she was being treated like she was helpless. Once she was able to go to bed, she overhears her parents talking about a trial tomorrow about a pig between the Hatfields and McCoys. Quiet blocked them out and fell asleep.
The next day, James was having a drink with Parris McCoy and his brother Sam when two Hatfields and a Snake sat down next to them.
"Lookie here, a nice pair of McCoy and Winter scum." Bill Staten says.
"I wiouldn't run your mouth if I were you Bill, us Winters don't take kindly to insults." Kevin says, just entering the saloon.
"Pah..." Bill says, returning to his drink.
The McCoys and Winters enjoyed each others company before hearing Bill threatening the McCoys.
"Bill, stop digging your own grave." Revolver says.
"Oh yeah? What about your brother Dallas, huh?"
"What about him."
"You know he went with Jim to take care of-mmph!"
"Shut UP Bill!"
"What is he talking about?" Kevin asks, placing his hand on the handle of his revolver.
"Nothin', just runnin' his mouth."
Revolver grabs Bill by his shirt collar and drags him outside.
"You tryin' to get my family killed?"
"No, just calm down Rev, calm-"
"Get out of here NOW!"
"Alright alright, I'm gettin'. Don't get so riled up."
Revolver went back inside and sat next to Skunkhair. The two whispered to each other, and Sam, Parris, and James left unnoticed. The three tracked Bill into the forest.
"Hey there Bill." James says.
Bill stops in his tracks and slowly turns around.
"So what was that about Dallas and Jim? I'm curious." James says, pulling out his revolver.
"It doesn't hurt me to tell you that Dallas helped murder Harmon McCoy and Frank Winter."
"You bastard!" James yells, aiming his revolver at Bill's head, "Too bad Mason had that accident, I guess I'll have to avenge his father for him."
(A.N. Yes, Mason from the beginning died. Sorry I forgot to mention that)
"As I recall, you wanted to nut us." Sam says.
The two brother pulls out their own guns and take aim.
"listen fellas..."
Bill tries pulling out his revolver but is unloaded on. Sam walks up to the dying Bill, takes his knife, and stabs it continuously in his groin.
"Come on James, let's head back to the hut." Parris says.
Sam finished his revenge and caught up with his brother and friend. The trio made their way back to the hut and clean their weapons and relax. The three pull out their alcohol pouches and held them in the air.
"For Mason...and justice." James says.
The three drink up and walk about the small hut, until Parris notices Devil Anse Hatfield sitting on his horse with his rifle in the crooks of his arms.
"Oh sh*t, we gotta go. Devil Anse is out there."
The three quickly grab their things and run to the back of the hut and to the horses. When they got there, the horses were gone, and a large group of Hatfields had their rifles aimed at them.
"Drop your weapons, now." Anse says, riding over.
They tossed the rifles and revolvers in front of them, and the Hatfields took them.
"Well now, this is a mighty fine revolver." Jim Vance says, examining James' gun
"It was custom made." James responds.
"Well, I'll certainly take good care of it."
James wisely stayed quiet, but Anse could see the hate in his eyes.
"Let's go. We're wasting time here."
Anse leads his family and the prisoners back to the town, where the head himself took the three boys inside. Marcus Winter and Randell meet Anse to discuss what was going to happen.
"James, what happened. Don't lie, I'll know." Marcus says, fixing his son with a hard stare
"I'm sure you know about Bill threatenin' us at the bar. Well, we was walkin' through the woods, when he comes out full o' piss and vinegar, ready to gun us down. We were just able to get the first shot in."
"*sigh* What am I gonna do with you."
"It was self defense." Parris says.
The judge lets the three go, on account there is no way to tell for sure if it was self defense or not. Marcus drags James back home, where the rest of the family was waiting anxiously.
"Pa, Jim Vance's got my revolver."
"Don't go lookin' for trouble with Vance. Him and his Wildcats will kill you, and I don't intend on loosing my son this early."
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with James and Ian shooting some targets in the field. After that, James decided to go into the family mine to see if he could find anything. His father was there to oversee it of course. The Winter Family Mine was built near the house, and was the first mine the Winter Family started, but never finished.
"I don't know what you expect to find son. Sure there are some small gems here and there, but the real prizes are in some of the other mines we own."
"That's what you may think pa, but I looked through some of grandpa's notes, and apparently, there's a family jewel hidden somewhere here."
The Winter Family Jewel is to be buried by the newlywed husband, and was suppose to have been buried and forgotten by everyone besides members of the Winter Family.
"I know about the jewel, but I don't know if you're-"
"I think I found it."
After James unearthed the jewel, his father took it to examine it for a bit. The sun was setting anyways, and Lily would have dinner ready. The two men walked into their home happy with a good days work.
(A.N. The jewel is a large slab of a diamond that is used for engagement rings and such. So small chunks are chipped off.)
[2 days later]
In the Snake Family house, Quiet had taken up a hobby of drawing in a journal. She would start with small shapes and build off them. She even decided to design what kind of house she would want to live in in the future. She had written letters to James, about if she was still a part of his plan in the greater scheme of things.
James snuck into her house that night to give her a beautiful ring, with a rare looking diamond as the jewel.
"I want to ask you something," James says, "I know we're still young, but...would you do the honor of marrying me, Quiet Snake?"
Quiet pounces onto James and kisses him hard on the lips. When they break free, she takes a piece of paper and writes down, "Yes."
James places the ring on Quiet's ring finger. The young couple embrace each other and lay in each others arms, neither one wanting to move. Being playful, Quiet shifts James' hands under the front of her shirt playfully.
"Honey I-" Punish says, opening the door to find his daughter in the arms of a Winter, "What the hell is goin' on here?"
"Sir, it's not what it looks like." James says, quickly standing up along with Quiet with a panicked look in her eyes.
"It looks like you were feelin' up my daughter!"
"I plan on marrying your daughter, and no one is going to stop me. Not you, my own father, or our entire families!"
"You aren't going to make the ride back home."
Punish pulls out his revolver and started shooting. James quickly jumps out of the way of the first two shots, but gets hit in the arm from the third shot. Quiet quick got in the way of her father and gave James enough time to climb out through the window and fall down. Punish pushes Quiet out of the way and runs to the window in time to see James riding away on his horse.
"Dammit, he got away." Punish says in frustration.
Quiet smacked her father on his shoulder and practically threw him out of her room. She then slammed the door shut and jumped onto her bed, and let out a mute sigh. She could hear her parents arguing and closed her eyes. Things were going to get more difficult, and with James injured the Winters might want retribution.