Long time gone (Wolvenrogue and Dragonfoot455

[Dragonfoot455]

The only thing Alyissa could remember was awaking to the terrible smell of smoke. The terrified screams of people outside calling for help as the fire roared ablaze threatening to burn down the very buildings beside it. Her husband John was more then visibly dead as he lay only a few meters away from where she had awoken from on the floor. His blood had stained her dress and it looked like it was her the one bleeding instead of him. Tears stung her amber eyes from the smoke clouding her way of some means of escape. She forced herself to her feet and covered her nose with the sleeve of her dress to try and filter some of the ash out of getting into her lungs. The blaze was hot on her skin as she stumbled half blindly around to the back entrance to where the supplies would have been dropped off for stocking. Using the last bits of strength she mustered to shove the wedged door open to be greeted with cold night air. Aly practically fell into the dirt and grass her form now shivering from might have been from shock or that the colder months were now showing evidence of settling in. She couldn't do anything but stare as flames burned everything she had worked for to the ground.

Though it had only happened 4 months ago it was still the only memory she could recall anything before was in fragments. The doctor called it Amnesia but Alyissa had plainly called it bad luck. Rumors entailed that Aly had killed her husband after finding him being a regular customer with the Saloon girls and set the store on fire to destroy any evidence of the murder. The local sherrif with nothing to go on and her having no Alibi had filed her as a suspect of murder. Knowing a trial was the next step, Alyissa fled on horseback riding in nowhere in particular until she reached somewhere that might have been close to Dakatoa. Her throat dry and only a few dollars to her name she stopped at a saloon to get herself a drink.

 

[wolvenrogue]

Bart Sanderson was sitting at the table in the Wagon Wheel Saloon nursing his second glass of whiskey since dinner and handily parting an eastern gentleman from his money when the yong woman in a dirty dress stepped up to the bar. The sight caught his attention. I wasn't often that women showed up in the small town, much less stepping up to the bar and ordering a drink. As expected, Bill, the bartender refused to serve her. "I'm sorry but this is a respectable place, We don"t serve unescorted women here. " The rather dapper 33 year old Sanderson saw his opportunity and spoke up. " Serve her Bill! she is with me." he called out across the room. " She aint at your table Bart" Bill protested. Bart answered. "She will be in a moment. now serve the lady" realizing that here wasn't a chair available Bart pulled away from the table making his lap available, and waited to see just what the young woman would do. The six foot tall slender gambler was a man with a bad reputation, and it didn't bother him in the least. He figured having the woman in his lap would be a great distraction to his mark on the other side of the table, and be an excellent cover for his slight of hand and other ways of cheating. His steely blue eyes fixed their gaze on the woman , measuring her up and down as he placed his Hat on the table in anticipation of her approach to the table.

 

[Dragonfoot455]

"Please mister I-" but before Alyissa could finish her plea another man came to her defense and even though the bartender as she had now learned was named Bill didn't seem to happy with the idea. She got her drink. The Irish female nodded her thanks to bill. Aly wasn't sure what Bart had expected in return for coming to her defense but the way he stared at her made Alyissa nervous. Looking down to observe that indeed her silk dress was now dusted from riding on through the day without stopping. She stood letting her curvy frame rest against the bar while brushing strands of stray brown hair away from her face. She was a pretty thing even though most of her frame was hidden away behind her riding cloak. Aly smoothed out her dress and downing the rest of her whiskey to give her some liquid courage then made her way over to where Bart was stationed among other men playing a game of cards. "I wanted to thank you for standing up for me" she told him reaching into her coin purse "I don't have much but I can give you what I can to show my gratitude if you'd like" she murmured holding out her hand for him to take the money.

One man chuckled at her words in response "I don't think your money is going to be much worth to him as another part of you would" the stranger scoffed making the other males laugh in unison. He wasn't wrong, she was the only female inside and that could spell danger for her if she wasn't careful.

 

[wolvenrogue]

"Put away your coins", Bart said , "Perhaps you would like another?" he said to the woman. "Bill bring me that bottle of Jameson's, this an irish girl!" " I've got some real whiskey for you. Sit down!" He took her by the arm and pulled her into his lap. Bill brought the bottle and two fresh glasses and filled them both. "Well are you staying or did I miss-judge you? you look like a sensible girl, and i know you like your whiskey already."

 

[Dragonfoot455]

Alyissa froze and suddenly became stiff in his lap. Red flags started to fly in the back of her head. Despite the kindness Bart had displayed he now was expecting something in return and what he wanted the Irish last didn't want to know. Inching a hand into the pocket of her dress, Aly clutched firmly on the swiss knife within it and kept holding it to keep her breath steady. "I am sensible but unfortunately I think you are tragically mistaken for what kind of girl I am. I'm going to give you one chance to get your fucking hands off of me" she said now letting her amber orbs flicker to his face and stare into his own as his only warning. Alyissa had half the nerve to strike him across the face for having half the nerve to lay a hand on her but know it would only escalate the situation into something ugly.

 

[wolvenrogue]

Bart smiled slyly at the woman still sitting in his lap. " You ever hear the saying " never bring a knife to a gun fight" ? " He said as he poked he's Derringer pistol into her ribs. " If you have half the sense I think you do you will set that toy in your hand up on the table and relax. A gentleman just bought you some expensive whiskey and if you are even half a lady, you will calm down and have a drink with him. Or, if you like have two. I have know idea what you think was going to happen here, but until you started making threats,. It was all going to be pleasant. It can be that way again if you are smart. Or, you can keep it up and end up down at the end of the street in Bart's plot. You can ask the undertaker what that means if you don't end up there." He nodded in the direction of the shot glass . "Set the knife down and have a drink" he said calmly.

 

[Dragonfoot455]

Alyissa's grip lessened as she was poked in the ribs with his small pistol. Clearly seething but knew any further aggression would get her killed. She put the knife up on the table but not completely out of reach if needed. Though she humored the gambler by downing the second glass quite quickly. Though if any person knew that with Alcohol came the Irish lass's wildcat personality that Aly often hid under the conservative facade of being a lady. "You've wasted your money on Expensive imported piss water, This Whiskey wouldn't know the real good stuff if it slapped it in the face." She drawled in reply and now seemed a bit calmer though still studying the situation. "Do you often try and wrangle girls into your lap or am I your first?" Aly scoffed then fell silent wondering if and when he'd let her go.

 

[wolvenrogue]

"You have obviously lost touch with your surroundings. This isn't Dodge City or St. Louis . Just how many other women do you see around here? Take a good look. Around here we take what we can get , when we can get it. If you are way the hell out here, you are in trouble just like the rest of us, so get down off your high horse. You aren't foolin' anyone , least of all me. If you are staying in this one horse town, you better figure out who the baddest man around is , and attach yourself. If you don't you will wind up well stretched and dead on the road some place. This ain't no place for a woman, let alone an unattached one. "

He picked up her knife and replaced it with his derringer. Take the gun, This little toad sticker ain't no use here." he let go of her arm and laid his hand on the table holding a colt 45 in case she got ideas.

 

[Dragonfoot455]

Alyissa's lip curled slightly then recomposed herself. "I apologize then. I am obviously out of my element, now you suggest finding refuge under the baddest fella in town. Now would you be so kind to point me in his direction? I appreciate the help." She smiled innocently though her attitude was sickly sweet intending to seduce the man he spoke of. She was clearly not intrested in spending any more time in Bart's company much less in his lap. Normally Aly would have been more conservative and insulted that he stated she couldn't take care of herself without a man's help. Though what he had stated was indeed true that she seemed to be the only available female in town which could be trouble.

 

[wolvenrogue]

"Now just why do you think they have a plot in the cemetery named in my honor when I ain't in it ?" he asked with a rhetorical tone. "You don't have far to go. You were sitting in his lap. Don't believe me? Go ask the undertaker. He is in a position to know. Of course you can always take your chances and bet your life on that little gun. Its better than This little knife, but not much. At least it fits a woman's hand. You want my best advice? I'd say sit back down and I'll get some more of what ever whiskey you like."

 

[Dragonfoot455]

Alyissa was growing more and more irritated by the man but she knew that if she was going to be trapped like a wild animal. She might as well act like one. "You know, I always liked a fella who was rough around the edges. You fit the picture but I'm not quite sure if I like you yet." Though Aly did sit down and when she did. She made sure that her rear to made contact with his groin enough to maybe rile the man up. The Irish female was no fool but she certainly knew a few ways to get herself out of a tight spot. Playing hard to get while being a tease was one of them. "Though I should warn you my Husband won't take kindly to another man touching something of his" she lied though it didn't sound as convincing as it did in her head as it did out loud.

 

[wolvenrogue]

"Husband?" he scoffed at the dirty but sexy girl. "There ain't a man alive in this territory, that would let a fillie like you prance around alone in a town like this if he was her husband, and if he would, he's no threat to me. Ask him to come around and say hello if has the balls. I'll give him a permanent home down at the end of the street. No charge for the undertaker.

He took out her small knife and cut the laces that went up her back and pulled her corset tight. "Well I'll be ! there is a good use for this knife after all. " Bart said as he folded it and put it back in his vest pocket. He enjoyed the view as her corset loosened and fell away from her breasts a bit allowing him a nice view of her nipples from over her shoulder. He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist and held her firmly in place in his lap. The colt still in his other hand.