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All mistakes are mine.
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She waits in the center of the street, holding her skirts in a powerful grip so they won't hang in the dust. Her head held high and proud, she squares her shoulders in preparation to greet the strange circus act moving towards her.
As the stranger atop the horse slows to a stop in front of her there is a moment when her frame eclipses the slowly setting afternoon sun. A halo of light illuminates blond hair while darkening out the features of her face for just a second.
Neither woman moves. It's the bounty hunter who dips her head and removes her travel worn hat in greeting first. When she raises her head from her nod the woman in street is stunned slightly by the unexpected beauty of the woman's features in front of her.
Clearing her throat, she uses her most authoritative public speaking voice since the whole town is of course watching, "State your business here stranger."
"I'm here to see the Sheriff," a sundried voice rasps.
"Unfortunately, our Sheriff's post is empty for the time being. Any town business must to go through the Mayor."
"And where might I find him?"
"You are addressing her now," she retorts, making her authority known.
The woman on horseback narrows her eyes to study the brunette a few paces in front of her. Not the greeting she'd been expected although, if she has to admit it, not an unwelcome one either. She takes in the slender but challenging form of the Mayor, her tan skin, dark shoulder length hair and threatening eyes.
She dismounts her horse in one easy movement and before the Mayor knows what's happened the horses reigns are placed firmly in her hand as the stranger walks to the man behind them.
"Well Ma'ma," she grabs the now half conscious man by the lead who barely hold himself upright from heat exhaustion and the ever present throbbing pain of his broken hand. "I've come to deliver this fugitive for reward."
Now he decides to wake from his trance and snarls at her. His eyes frantically dart to the rows of buildings and people that surround him. Purely on impulse he tries to pull away from her again by tugging the rope. The Mayor is thrown forward as the horse bucks from the commotion but doesn't let go, once being a skilled horsewoman herself.
The same tactic twice? The man is truly an idiot the bounty hunter thinks as she's pulled forward, incredible close to the smelly bastard in this instant. Tired and ready to end their time together, lovely as its been, she yanks him towards her by his filthy coat and butts his jaw hard with her right elbow. A bit of blood spills from his mouth as he grunts in pain. In one last ditch effort he brings his head back and down hard against the bounty hunters which mearly serves to infuriate the woman. This ends now, she thinks through the blinding pain she pulls him in against, this time with both hands on his jacket. After her knee makes contact with his groin, an area she'd prefer never to come in contact with, he slowly sinks to his knees. Pushing him aside, she turns to check on the Mayor but before she's even taken a step she hears him spit out, "I'm the innocent here. This woman is nothing more than a filthy whore with a gun if last night was any indication. Isn't that right lass?" he finishes with a devilish grin.
Stopping dead in her tracks, the furious woman takes a deep breath before turning to backhand the man for good measure. Only the gasp of the crowd appeases the sting in her hand. "Watch your mouth around these fine folks," she cooly scolds as she takes in the shocked and wide-eyed state of the Mayor still gripping the bridal of her horse. That should kill two birds with one stone she thinks to herself.
"David, Michael" the Mayor barks to the gaping men that have gathered near the post office. "Escort this.. man to the jail," she instructs, looking down at the man with disgust.
"Yes!"
"Yes Madam Mayor!" Both men race forward and apprehend the man whose sunken to his knees in the dirt. They grasp him firmly under the arms and drag him to his feet while the blond haired woman unties the rope from the saddle and hands it over to David, the strong yet gentle looking blond man in front of her.
"Don't trust him for a second not to try to escape," she warns.
"Oh don't worry," he flashes her a kind smile. "We won't," and with that he tightens his hold on the man and helps Michael drag him towards the one-celled jailhouse that sits kitty corner to the Mayors office.
The bounty hunter steps close to the Mayor as they watch the two men drag the prisoner down the street.
"You alright Ma'ma?" the blond places a hand on the brunettes where she still holds the reins and their eyes linger in the others gaze despite themselves.
"Yes, quite," Regina finds her voice and snatches back her hand defensively, remembering they're in front of the entire town.
"I have no problem locking up this man for assaulting you," she notices she has to fight the odd impulse to touch the slight cut upon the blond woman's forehead despite her own stern tone. "However, I'm afraid that I know of no such bounty offered by this town on his head."
"Ah.." a short bone skinny man limps forward on his cane. "I can solve that issue. I posted the bounty," he flashes her a dark smile that revels a gold lined front tooth.
The bounty hunter reaches up retrieve the stained and yellowed flyer from her breast pocket and hands it over.
"Yes, indeed you've found him," he states while examining the sketch he'd had personally drawn up.
"And yet you didn't seek to inform the me or post this to caution our citizens," the Mayor accuses the man.
"Let's just say that I have a personal vendetta against the man," he offers with clear hostility in his voice.
"That's not enough to lock a man up."
"Pardon me Ma'ma, uh Madam Mayor. But when I found him I had to pry him off a poor woman he'd beaten and…violated."
"Sounds exactly like what that he tried to do to my Belle," the anger in the mans voice causes his cane to shake.
"Mr. Gold," the Mayor gasped "I had no idea."
"And why would you. Like I said, this is between him and I."
"Well, with todays assault that's certainly enough for a public hearing. I suspect it won't take much digging to find a list of other offenses this man is wanted for."
"If you don't mind Sir," the stranger cuts in, "I'm anxious to discuss the reward so I can be on my way."
Both the man and Mayor pause and look towards the weary woman.
"Why yes, dearie," he grins after a moment. "But what a long journey you must have had. Why don't you spend the night," he motions to the Saloon across the street. "On me, of course."
"Thank ya Sir, but I'd rather collect and be on my way."
"Nonsense, it's a two day ride to the next town. You will stay the night. Unfortunately I have a previous engagement this evening but Gran will put your room and drinks on my tab and we will arrange payment over breakfast first thing in the morning." And at that he turns and hobbles down the street towards the jail in the setting sun.