chapter 6; changed woman

                                    

                                          
Soft light pouring through the cabin gently wakes Charlotte. She blinks her one good eye, slowly putting her body into motion. The gash on her arm has clotted, dried blood coming off in flakes as she stretches it out to observe the injury. What had once been a slicked back bun at the base of her head is now a matted, frizzy pile of tangled hair. Feet, still covered by her boots and impossibly heavy, drag across the bed, landing on the hard floor with a sure thud. She jerks her head up, sure that the sound would alert Micah that she's awake but she finds herself alone.
                          
Managing to stand, she observes the bruises on her wrists, feeling the throbbing between her sore legs. Outside the window, she spies Sheriff grazing in the grass and takes note that there is no sign of Baylock, Micah's steed. She catches her reflection in a mirror mounted on the wall and audibly gasps, her fingers touching each wound on her beat up face. After straightening her clothing and locating her weapons, she mounts up, slipping a treat to Sheriff. She wasn't sure how he'd managed to find her but was thankful he did. 
                          
The long journey back to camp gives Charlotte enough time to decide what she wants to do. Part of her wanted to tell Dutch everything as soon as she sees him but she knows what he'll say. It will never be Micah's fault but hers and he won't hesitate to kill her the first chance he gets. She pictures him sneaking into her tent at night and smothering her with a pillow or accidentally catching her with a poorly aimed shot during a job. His options are endless and Charlotte has no one to protect her but herself.
                          
Suddenly her mind shifts to Arthur. Could she tell him? She flashes back to her dream, the safety she'd felt in his embrace, so foreign and strange compared to their reality. Maybe if he knew he would feel the need to protect her or kill the bastard for betraying Dutch by defiling his daughter. She dismisses the idea of having a savior, knowing he'd probably blame it on her. Claim that she'd been drinking or was looking for comfort after a stressful situation. 
                          
"Who's there?" A voice whispers into the dense forest surrounding Horseshoe Overlook.
                          
"It's just me, John." Sheriff clops up to the camp guard.
                          
"Charlotte... I'd say it's good to see you but you don't look so good. Micah got here a couple hours ago. Everything go okay?" John looks up at her, his mangled face scarring nicely.
                          
"Micah's free, that's about all I can say about that." She huffs, pushing Sheriff towards the hitching posts. John drops the subject, unable to leave his post on the perimeter. 
                          
She joins the commotion of camp, scanning the property for Dutch. Grimshaw doesn't let her get too far as soon as she spies the monstrosity that is her face. The old woman forces her to sit as she twirls around her, cleaning her up with a rag dipped in some tincture she'd curated. Satisfied, she lets the girl go but not without a hug first. She's capable of being soft hearted when she sees someone who's needing it.
                          
"Sean is being moved to upper Montana, then to a federal prison..." A voice trails off inside of Dutch's tent. Freshly out of patience, Charlotte tosses the cloth door back, stepping inside to see Dutch, Micah, Arthur and Trelawny circled together. They look to her, assessing and assuming.
                          
"The hell happened to you?" Arthur chorts. 
                          
"Law got holda'me in Strawberry when I was trying to break Micah out... I got away but they pounded me pretty good before I found my chance to escape. Decided we should split after I told him where camp was." The men turn to Micah who nods in agreement with her false story, grinning smugly.
                          
"Thank you, my girl, for your hard work. Boys here are gonna bring Sean home today and we're gonna have a big party in your honors." Dutch pulls her into his side, planting a kiss on her bruised forehead.