*Author's Note*
Thank you for all the follows, favs, and reviews.
Oh, looky looky, ack to back updates. YAY!
August 21st 1881- Captain W. Turns 2
Allie POV:
I've been separated from my family for a month now and it was slowly killing me. I've found myself in a deep depression over not having Cap and our kids around. Too add to it, my friend Vera was no longer allowed to associate with me due to Devil Anse's order. She told me so, in a regretful way might I add, that Devil Anse had firmly told Skunk Hair that all and any friendship between us would cease to exsist til he said otherwise. Even Roseanna, my sweet sister-in-law, and Jessa, my childhood best friend, were staying away from me too. Hell, my father-in-law had made sure that I was blackballed from the family and treated like I had the plague.
It hurt so much being cast aside like yesterday's trash.
The only one the visited me from time to time was Sully, but that was mostly to lecture me on how stupid I was for even trusting a McCoy. I managed to tell him that my talk with Tolbert was innocent (even tho it wasn't); that all I did was advise him to head west for some free land cause the feud would only get worse, especially since Shaw and him had a rivalry going on. That white lie seemed to work on Sully, but he did let me know that even tho I was trying to help reduce Tolbert's devastating and impactful role in the feud I shouldn't 've even talked to him. That I should've left the house when he was home instead of my brother.
Sully seemed to pity me or at least that's what I gathered from his sorrowful looks and body language the few times he stopped by to conduct his lectures.
I was driving into town, in order to get some more thread and a package of buttons to finish my son's birthday gift (a new shirt) up with whenever I noticed that Sully's horse was on the hitch post at the school. Well, not just his, but Shaw's wild bronco too. I called his horse, aptly named Tornado, wild since it never let anyone except for him or Jessa near it. Horse was crazy if you ask me.
I could feel people staring at me and could hear their whispers behind my back as I pulled to a stop in front of Shifflet's General Store. I'm not surprise 'bout it tho, I mean of course people are gossiping and gawking over me since I'm the disowned daughter-in-law of Devil Anse, a man one normally doesn't cross and live to tell about it. Reckon the only reason I'm alive is cause I'm the mother of his grandchildren or cause his son loves me.
I climbed down from my wagon with my head low since I didn't want to bring too much attention to myself. Quickly, I made my way over to the door and inside of the store. At the sound of the door chime dinging, the clerk looked at me and simply asked, "What'd ya need, Mrs. Hatfield?"
"Some dark blue thread and buttons." I told him while making my way over the back counter (where he was at behind the register).
"I'll get that for you, Ma'am." The clerk assured me before going off into the back room to grab what I asked for.
While standing and waiting for my items, I decided to browse the candy jars on the counter to see if anything caught my eye for Captain W. When I spotted some caramel chews, I decided to pick up a bag and buy a few for his birthday. Right as I placed a a handful of candy into the paper bag marked Shiftlett's I heard the door chime go off. I didn't pay it any mind; just filled my bag with a few more pieces of candy. In hindsight I should've been more aware of my surroundings because right as I was placing the lid back onto the candy jar I felt a presence next to me followed my a deep and smug voice insulting me with, "Allie, my oh my, I would've thought your lying bitch ass would be shopping over in Pikeville by now considerin' ya seem so cozy with McCoys."
Rolling my eyes, I deadpanned, "Leave me alone, Shaw."
"I'm not bothering you, just makin' an observation." That bastard had the audacity to tell me as he started to fill a bag with ginger candies.
Before I could reply, the clerk came out of the back room with my items. Upon seeing the candy bag on the counter by the register, he asked, "What kind of candy did ya get?"
"The caramel chews." I answered him, causing him to nod. "There's 10 in there." I added in so that he wouldn't have to open the bag and count the candy.
The clerk just nodded before pushing some buttons on the cash register. "That'll be $1.11." He told me as he grabbed my items and placed them into a paperbag.
Quickly, I opened up my drawstring purse and got out my money. I handed it over to the clerk and grabbed my bag while telling him, "Thanks you; have a nice day."
"Have a nice day, Mrs. Hatfield." The clerk told me as he put my money into the register. As I turned around and made my way to the front door, I heard the clerk ask Shaw, "Wife still sufferin' wit' mornin' sickness?"
"Yep. Turns out with my baby it's all day sickness." I heard Shaw answer the clerk as I reached the door. Oh, poor Jessa's still sick. I feel so bad for her, she should be glowing during her pregnancy not heavin' up into bowls and sinks all the time.
After walking out of the store I climbed up into my wagon. Right as I grabbed my reigns Shaw walked out of the store. Before heading back to the school to fetch his horse he cackled, "Pretty useless buyin' that candy since Devil Anse ain't gonna let you close enough to give it to him."
Fucking bastard. I just shook my head and snapped my reigns, causing the horses to pull my wagon down the road and away from the store. How Jessa could live with him let alone remotely love that black hearted prick was beyond me.
Jessa POV:
I was sitting at the table, cutting up some squash to roast for dinner tonight, whenever the door opened. I looked up only to smile as Shaw hung up his Hat and gun belt while holding a large paper bag. I knew what was in the bag (ginger candies for my nauseas stomach) and it made me feel so grateful to have a husband that worried about my wellbeing. "I see you stopped by the store after talking to your dad about Mary being homeschooled." I pointed out to my husband as he walked away from the entryway.
"Yea, I figured you'd need some more ginger candies." Shaw told me with a softly lined smile as he walked across the main room on his way to the kitchen.
"Thanks, my supply was getting low." I told him, placing some sliced squash onto a sheet pan, as he entered the kitchen.
"Well, you're always eatin' them to sooth your stomach, so I'm not surprised your supply's low." He told me while walking into the kitchen and placing the candy bag onto the counter. "Well, I ran into Allie at the general store." Shaw revealed while taking a seat next to me at the table.
"Oh, how'd that go?" I asked as I sliced a squash.
"So so." He simply answered. Slumping a bit in his chair, he sighed, "She was buying some caramel chew candies and sewing things so I think she's gonna try to give her kid a birthday present."
I quirked a brow at my husband and asked, "How? Devil Anse won't let her on his property."
"I dunno." Shaw shrugged as I placed some more squash slices onto the sheet pan. Crossing his arms over his chest as I began slicing another squash, my husband added in, "But I think Captain W.'s birthday party in a couple days is gonna be angsty."
"Oh god, I hope she doesn't crash the party and make a scene." I sighed, just shuttering at the thought of Allie ruining her son's party and making a fool out of her self in front of the family that's very upset and disappointed in her.
"You can hope all ya want, honey, but I think that's what's gonna happen." Shaw told me as I sliced up the last squash. "Anyways, my dad agreed to bring over some school books so that Mary can do her work at home since you need her help around the house."
"That's good." I simply told him, placing the last slices of squash onto the sheet pan.
Before I could even get up, Shaw rose to his feet and grabbed the tray while telling me, "I can salt and pepper them; stick them in the oven too, babe." Going over to the counter with the pan, he asked, "Did ya wrap Captain W.'s present yet?"
"Yea, I wrapped it earlier." I told my husband as he placed the pan down on the counter.
"I think he'll like the blocks. I mean most kids do." Shaw remarked while salting and peppering the squash. "We makin' anything for the party?" He asked while placing the pan into the oven.
"I told Levicy we'd make bread pudding." I answered him as he made his way over to the table.
Turning around and heading back into the kitchen, he sighed, "Looks like I better get to work bakin' bread so we'll have enough to make the puddin' with."
"Looks like it." I smirked, watching him start to grab the things he needs to make bread dough with.
I had to say that I was thankful my husband knew how to cook and bake cause if I had to do everything, well, I'd be dog wear tired since my pregnancy has been draining.
Allie POV:
Today was my son's second birthday and I was determined to see him and give him his presents. God, I missed my kids so much. It wasn't fair how I lost a month of watching them grow all because my father-in-law lost his cool about something he heard concerning me and Tolbert cause the redhead couldn't keep his mouth shut in a public setting. I felt a bit nervous as I rode the familiar dirt road towards the main Hatfield house a few miles away from my house. My house that was a large and lonely place to live at the moment.
I prayed that I wouldn't be turned away from my son's birthday party; that I'd be able to grovel and beg my way in so I'd be able to celebrate Captain W.'s birthday.
The front yard of my in-laws' house was packed with wagons and horses as I pulled up. Wow, it seems like everybody that had a tie to the Hatfields were at my son's party. I just took a deep breath and parked my wagon. Knowing that my uninvited presence could go either way, I climbed down from my wagon determined to see my son. I tightly clenched the large paper bag full of gifts in my hand as I walked over to the front porch of the main Hatfield house, which had loud sounds of banter and laughter echoing from within.
Nervously, I walked up the porch steps and over to the front door. I knocked quickly on it and waited on baited breath for Levicy to answer. When the door was pulled open all the breath in me whooshed out as I stood face to face with my estranged husband. Cap just stared at me, his icy eye and its milky white twin not showing an ounce of emotion or giving away what he was thinking. He just stood stock still, his hand white knuckling the doorknob, as he looked at me. Hell, I felt like he was looking straight thru me that's how intense his gaze was.
"Cap, I brought ov-" I began to say only for my husband to rush out onto the porch and yank me away while hissing, "Goddamnit, Allie, are you stupid or somethin'? Ya can't just come here with gifts, pa wn't allow it."
"No, Cap, I'm not stupid or somethin'." I spat out a bit roughly since I felt a bit insulted. "I'm a mother that wants to see her son on his birthday; wants to give him some gifts."
"You can't, now go on an' get home, woman." He told me with a clenched jaw as he gestured towards my wagon.
"What? How dare you talk to me like that, Cap. I'm your wife; I deserve some respect."
"How can I respect ya as my wife or otherwise when ya go behind my back consortin' with McCoys? Huh, tell me that, Alma?" He asked me, his deep timbre hitched a bit as he cut his mismatched eyes at me.
"Cap, you have to believe me when I say I didn't consort with McCoys and didn't mean the family any harm. I just tried to visit my brother, that's all."
"Your brother that's married to a McCoy. Oh, and not just any McCoy, but a hateful shrew for Christ's sake."
"Cap, please, just let me see Captain W. for just a minute. It's his birthday." I begged, nearly on the verge of tears, as I stood before my husband hoping that he'd break out of his cold attitude and grant my request.
"No, I'm sorry, but I can't." He shook his head, making some of his shaggy blonde hair get messed up and go every which way.
"Why not? Just cause your daddy said no's not a good enough reason!" I snapped a bit loudly since I was feeling a bit upset by my husband's denials.
Before Cap could give me and answer the front door opened followed by the loud sound of Devil Anse's cold and callous voice lowly ordering, "Allie, go back to your house and leave my son the hell alone."
"What?" I asked, taken aback that he was putting himself in the middle of something I deemed between me and my husband (the subject of our son).
"You heard me loud an' clear, no get your ass off my porch and stop tryin' to poison my son's mind 'gainst his family. God only knows who you'll have him hatin' next as if turnin' him 'gainst Shaw wasn't bad 'nough."
I was already down on my luck and felt like I had nothing to lose, so maybe that's why I grew bold enough to snap, "I never poisoned Cap against Shaw or any of the family. Shaw's a manipulative piece of shit that's playin' the entire family; making me look bad to further accent himself as a great guy when he's far from it."
Pulling his pipe out of the corner of his mouth, he darkly told me, "If ya plan on makin' it home in one piece I advise ya to get off my porch right now."
"I'm not goin' anywhere until I see my son and give him his gifts."
Yanking the bag out of my hand, Cap told me, "I'll pass along the gifts, get get on home, Allie."
Narrowing my sapphire eyes at my husband, I told him, "No, Cap, I'm not leavin' til I see our son. I don't care what you or your daddy says, I want to wish my son a happy second birthday."
"Cap, bring the bag into the house." Devil Anse order his son in a cold and stern tone before pointing his pipe at me and adding in, "I need t'have a word with young Mrs. Hatfield alone."
"But pa-" Cap began to protest only for his dad to firmly bark, "Do as I say, son."
"Yes, pa." My husband nodded, his voice small like that of a young boy's, and quickly left my side and went into the house. Cap being so obedient to Devil Anse didn't set right with me. How could he cave so easily under his dad when it came to me, his wife? He was supposed to love me thru thick and thin, but it seems that was just a joke since he loved me when his father said he could.
With a cold blood freezing look, Devil Anse made two large strides over to me. His eyes were two blue icecubes as he stared me down, piercing into my soul with his cold gaze. "In time I would've allowed you to see your chil'ren, but now I'm afraid I won't be affordin' ya that luxury. In fact your blatant disregard for my rules and my family's given me cause to think that maybe, just maybe, you're actin' as a spy for your brother an' those McCoys he's sided himself with."
"I'm not a spy, Anse. I just want to see my son on his birthday." I told my father-in-law with a strong sense of desperation in my voice.
"That might be or you might want inside of my house to hear things not meant for McCoys ears; to relay tidbits back t'em."
"I swear, I'm not here to spy on my family. I just want to see my son. Hell, if I'm honest I'd like to see both of my babies."
"Honest? You? Hmm, I don't think I can put those two words together for ya." My father-in-law mocked me as he placed his pipe into the corner of his mouth. Grabbing me roughly by the arm, he said, "Come on, maybe some time locked up in the barn's loft'll make ya confess your sins.", before dragging me off the porch.
Panic course thru my veins as I pleaded in a loud shriek, "What? Anse, please, you can't lock me up in the barn." As he dragged me towards the large loft styled barn.
"I can an' I will." He firmly told me as we got even closer to the barn.
"Please, don't do this. I promise, I won't tell any McCoys anything, just don't lock me in the barn." I cried while trying, but failing, to wiggle out of his hold since he had an iron clad grip on my arm.
"Your cries are fallin' on deaf ears, girl." Devil Anse coldly told me as we reached the barn. "Nothin' ya say's gonna save you from bein' locked up." He told me while dragging me upstairs to my prison, the hayloft. Without a word, he opened the door to the loft and thru me inside.
As I landed on the floor, I felt my ankle pop. I hissed as I felt a searing pain eb in my ankle. The door closed followed by the sound of the door being barred by a board as I gingerly looked at my sprained (I hope it's just sprained) ankle.
Well, now I know why he's called Devil Anse. That man's the coldest human on earth when he's been slighted. Dear god, how did I find myself on his bad side? I thought I was being careful and cleaver enough not to be caught with McCoys. Seems I was wrong; underestimated the carelessness of Tolbert, and it cost me everything. And I mean everything since I separated from my family and was currently locked inside of a drafty dingy hayloft with a throbbing ankle that hurt like a bitch.
Cap POV:
"What'd she bring 'im?" Pa asked me, coming up to my side as I leaned against a bookshelf while watchin' my chil'ren play wit' their lil friends, aunts, uncles, an' cousins.
"A new shirt and some candy." I answered him, never takin' my eyes off of the herd of chil'ren playin'.
Takin' his pipe out of his mouth, he asked, "Ya give it to him?"
"Yea, why?" I nodded, wonderin' why he even asked.
"Cause I was gonna tell ya to toss it into the fireplace later, but seems that's useless since ya gave 'im the gifts from his traitor ma." My pa told me with a cold sigh laced in his deep tone as his eyes slightly looked ov'r at the fireplace.
Goddamn, why would he want me t'burn my son's gifts for. Hell, I know Allie did us wrong, but that don't mean we gotta punish my son for it by usin' his presents as kindlin'. Pulling my cigarette case out, opening it, and placing a smoke 'tween my teeth, I remarked, "Pa, it's just a shirt an' a bag of caramel chews. Don't see no harm in Captain W. havin' 'em."
"Harm is it came from somebody untrustworthy." Pa counter me as I placed my cigarette case into my shirt and pulled out my matchbook.
Lighting up my smoke and takin' my first drag off it, I sighed, "It came from his mother, pa. Even tho she did somethin' that broke our trust she's still his mama."
"You've got compassion for her." Pa stated with a tinge of disgust in his voice. "In these feudin' times ya can't afford t'give her an ounce of it."
"She's my wife, pa. No matter what I'm gonna love her in some sorta way." I sighed as I let a large waft of smoke outta my lungs.
"You'd best to numb yourself to her, son." Pa advised me. Placing his pipe back into his mouth, he revealed, "Allie's locked up in the barn. I plan on keepin' her there for a few days t'wear down her resolve."
"What? Sam's Hill, pa, ya can't keep her prisoner in the barn? She's my wife, she should be at home tendin' the house."
"She's your estranged wife an' since the house is empty, save for her, it don't need much tendin'." Pa told me in a cold and unfeeling tone. "She remains my prisoner til I deem it fit she's atoned for her sins or has given me the right answers to my questions." He told me before leaving me side and going over to where my ma was at in the kitchen, most likely to tell her about his new prisoner. My wife.
AN:
Yikes, now Allie's gotten herself imprisoned in Devil Anse's barn. Well, Allie's in a bad spot right now. How do you guys think Cap's going to deal with his wife being locked inside of his parents' barn? Is he gonna turn a blind eye or go against his dad and try to help her?