If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!
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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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It was a ring fit for the undisputed Queen of a billionaire empire. Mary-Beth let out a choked, beautiful sob, the tears finally spilling over her eyelashes as she stared down at the ring, the weight of the life changing proposal washing over her in a tidal wave of emotion, entirely unaware of the hundreds of men holding their breath in the courtyard below, waiting for her answer.
Caleb who knelt on the cold marble of the porch, entirely ignored the hundreds of eyes locked onto him. The entire world, the corporate empire, the blood soaked tobacco fields of Lemoyne, and the millions of dollars locked in his vaults simply ceased to exist. His universe had narrowed down to the stunning, trembling woman standing before him in a crimson velvet gown.
He looked up into her tear filled eyes. His usually calm, impenetrable facade, the terrifying mask of the Don that had broken politicians and rival mob bosses alike, melted away entirely. In its place was a warm, incredibly charming, and deeply vulnerable smile that trembled with absolute, unadulterated sincerity.
"Mary-Beth," Caleb began, his voice a low, rich baritone that carried perfectly in the hushed silence of the estate, yet felt as intimate as a whisper in a dark room. "Since the very first moment I arrived in this unforgiving place, you have been my salvation."
Mary-Beth let out another choked sob, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth, her dark eyes locked onto the flawless Colombian emerald glittering in the velvet box.
"I remember that day in Valentine," Caleb continued, his words painting the vivid, chaotic memory of their past. "I remember the mud, the rain, and the desperation that surrounded us all. I was a man walking on the edge of a very dark, very violent cliff. But then... I saw you. And ever since that first meeting, you have been the only light drawing me away from the darkness."
Caleb shifted slightly, his gaze unwavering, pouring his entire soul into the confession. He needed her to understand the absolute magnitude of what she meant to him, and he didn't care who heard it.
"I have watched our journey unfold like a miracle," Caleb said, his voice thickening with profound emotion. "From strangers passing each other in a chaotic, desperate camp, to acquaintances sharing quiet words by a flickering fire. From friends trusting each other with our deepest, most dangerous secrets... to finally becoming lovers. You changed my life, Mary-Beth. You took a man who only knew how to survive, and you taught him how to live."
Several more tear slipped down Mary-Beth's cheek, tracing a path through the soft rosy flush of her skin. She was shaking her head slightly in sheer disbelief, completely overwhelmed by the depth of his devotion.
"I have built this empire for us," Caleb declared softly, looking up at her with a fierce, uncompromising love. "But I know, with absolute certainty, that I could never survive this world without you standing by my side. You are my anchor. You are my queen. And I want to spend the rest of my natural life trying to be worthy of you."
Caleb took a deep, steadying breath, his heart hammering wildly against his ribs as he asked the single most important question of his existence.
"Will you honor me," Caleb asked, his voice ringing with heartfelt, eternal devotion, "by becoming my wife, Mary-Beth Gaskill?"
For a fraction of a second, the universe seemed to hold its breath.
Then, Mary-Beth's knees practically gave out. She dropped the crystal champagne flute onto the marble floor, the delicate glass shattering into a dozen pieces, the expensive vintage wine splashing completely forgotten across the stone. She fell to her knees right in front of him, no longer caring about her beautiful velvet gown or the hundreds of men watching them.
She reached out, throwing her arms around his neck, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder as she wept openly, tears of pure, overwhelming joy soaking into the crisp collar of his tuxedo.
"Yes," Mary-Beth sobbed, her voice muffled against his neck, trembling with absolute elation. She pulled back just enough to look into his blue eyes, her face radiant with a happiness so profound it was blinding. "Yes, Caleb! Yes, a thousand times, yes!"
The absolute second the word left her lips, the courtyard exploded.
It was not a cheer; it was a volcanic eruption of sheer, unbridled euphoria. The hundreds of Italian capos, street soldiers, and Van der Linde gang members threw their hands into the air, screaming at the top of their lungs.
Men fired their revolvers into the dark winter sky in a deafening, thunderous salute. The professional brass band, catching the cue flawlessly, immediately struck up a roaring, triumphant, and incredibly fast-paced celebratory march.
Caleb let out a breathless, euphoric laugh. He reached into the velvet box, carefully pulling the heavy platinum and emerald ring free. He took Mary-Beth's trembling left hand, his own fingers shaking just slightly with the adrenaline of the moment, and gently slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit absolutely flawlessly, the massive emerald catching the firelight and flashing with a brilliant, deep green fire.
He didn't waste another second. Caleb pulled her flush against his chest, wrapping his strong arms securely around her waist, and kissed her deeply, passionately, right there on the cold marble floor.
The crowd roared even louder, the sheer volume of their applause threatening to shake the very foundations of the Garden District mansion. Mary-Beth kissed him back with everything she had, her hands tangling in his dark hair, completely oblivious to the chaos surrounding them, lost entirely in the man who had just handed her the world.
When they finally broke apart, both of them breathing heavily, their foreheads resting against one another, Caleb stood up.
He smoothly pulled Mary-Beth to her feet, keeping his arm wrapped tightly, protectively around her waist.
He turned back to the sea of cheering men in the courtyard. He raised his free hand high into the air, the gesture instantly commanding their attention.
"Gentlemen!" Caleb roared over the music, his voice echoing with unparalleled pride and triumphant joy. He pulled Mary-Beth closer, gesturing to the radiant woman beside him. "I present to you my fiancée... and my future wife!"
Another deafening shockwave of cheers tore through the night.
"Drink the cellars dry!" Caleb ordered, a wide, charismatic grin on his face. "The celebration will last until morning! Tonight, this city is ours!"
The band kicked into an even higher gear, the servants rushed out with fresh silver platters of roasted meats and countless bottles of expensive scotch, and the banquet officially descended into a glorious, chaotic festival of victory.
Caleb and Mary-Beth didn't stay elevated on the porch for long. They walked down the sweeping marble steps, instantly enveloped by the warmth and the raucous joy of the courtyard. The core members of the gang immediately swarmed them, pushing past the congratulatory Italian capos to get to their family.
Arthur was the first to reach them. The massive man didn't even bother with a handshake. He pulled Caleb into a bone crushing, brotherly hug, slapping him heavily on the back.
"You did it, you crazy bastard," Arthur laughed, his deep voice thick with genuine, overwhelming pride as he pulled back. He looked down at Mary-Beth, offering her a warm, incredibly gentle smile. "Congratulations, Mary-Beth. You finally caught him."
"Thank you, Arthur," Mary-Beth beamed, proudly holding up her left hand to show off the glittering emerald.
Sadie pushed her way through, wearing her sharp dark outfit, moving with the swagger of a hardened bounty hunter. She grabbed Mary-Beth in a tight hug, laughing loudly. "About damn time! If he had waited another month, I was going to shoot him myself just to speed things up!"
John and Abigail stepped forward next, Abigail practically in tears as she embraced Mary-Beth, the two women sharing a profound look of understanding. They had both survived the outlaw life, and they had both finally found their safe harbor.
But it was Hosea who provided the most emotional congratulations of the evening. The old conman, looking healthier and more at peace than he had in years, stepped up to the couple. He held a glass of fine wine, a soft, deeply paternal smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.
"Caleb. Mary-Beth," Hosea said softly, his raspy voice cutting through the surrounding noise. He reached out, placing a weathered hand on Caleb's shoulder. "I have lived a very long, very violent life. I have seen man rise and fall, and I have seen good men die for nothing. But seeing the two of you tonight... seeing this love become official, right here in the open... it makes every single hardship we endured worth it."
Hosea looked at Mary-Beth, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Just like John and Abigail before you, you have proven that even in a world of outlaws and killers, there is still room for grace. You have secured your peace. Protect it with everything you have."
"We will, Hosea," Caleb promised solemnly, deeply moved by the old man's blessing. "I swear it."
The congratulations poured in for hours. They drank, they laughed, and they danced under the gaslights, the horrors of the Grays and the Pinkertons completely forgotten in the euphoria of the moment.
But eventually, as the sheer overwhelming noise of the party reached its peak, Caleb noticed Mary-Beth stifling a small, exhausted yawn behind her hand. He caught her eye, offering a silent question. She nodded softly.
Without drawing attention to themselves, Caleb gently took her hand and led her away from the roaring fire pits and the blaring brass band. They slipped through a set of heavy glass doors, moving into the quiet, secluded darkness of the estate's sprawling botanical gardens.
The winter air was crisp and biting, instantly cooling the heat of the champagne in their blood. Caleb immediately shrugged off his tailored tuxedo jacket and draped it gently over Mary-Beth's bare shoulders. She pulled the warm, expensive fabric tightly around herself, breathing in the scent of his cologne.
They walked in silence for a few moments, the gravel crunching softly beneath their shoes, until they reached a secluded marble bench situated beneath the sprawling branches of a massive, ancient oak tree. The sky above Saint Denis was unusually clear, the smog blown away by the winter wind, revealing a breathtaking tapestry of glittering stars.
They sat down together, the noise of the courtyard fading into a dull, distant, and comforting hum.
Mary-Beth leaned her head against Caleb's shoulder, her fingers tracing the cold platinum band of her new ring. She looked up at the stars, a profound, serene peace settling over her soul.
"Thank you," Mary-Beth whispered into the quiet night, her voice heavy with raw emotion.
Caleb looked down at her, resting his chin lightly on the top of her head. "For the ring?"
"For everything," Mary-Beth corrected him softly, turning her face to look up into his eyes. "For fulfilling my dreams. I spent my entire life reading penny dreadfuls and romance novels, imagining a knight who would sweep in and save me from the mud. But the reality is so much more beautiful than any book I could ever write."
She reached up, her soft hand resting against his jawline. "Thank you for coming into my life when I did not even know I needed you. Thank you for protecting us, for fighting for us, and... for simply being exactly who you are."
Caleb closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, completely humbled by the absolute purity of her love. He leaned down, pressing a long, gentle kiss to her forehead.
"I am the lucky one, Mary-Beth," Caleb admitted, his voice rough, exposing a vulnerability he hid from the rest of the world. "With the things I know, and the things I am capable of doing... it would have been so incredibly easy for me to become a monster in this world. A tyrant worse than Cornwall or Bronte. But you kept me human. I cannot even begin to imagine what would have become of me, or the dark path I would have walked down, had we never met."
He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her, shielding her from the winter chill. "You saved me, just as much as I saved you."
They sat together under the stars for a long, quiet time, simply existing in the perfect, unbroken peace of each other's presence.
The celebration in the courtyard raged on for hours, defying the freezing temperatures with sheer, unadulterated liquor and adrenaline. But as the sky in the east finally began to turn a bruised, pale purple, signaling the arrival of dawn, the chaotic energy finally began to wane. The band played their final, exhausted waltz, and the capos began to stumble toward their barracks or the waiting carriages to head back to the city limits.
The party was finally over.
Caleb and Mary-Beth, utterly exhausted but profoundly, completely content, retired to the warmth of the master suite. The adrenaline crash hit them both simultaneously.
They didn't even bother recounting the night's events, they simply fell into the massive, four poster bed, tangled together in the heavy down quilts, and fell into the deepest, most peaceful sleep of their entire lives. When they finally woke, the bright, crisp winter sunlight was streaming brilliantly through the gaps in the heavy velvet curtains. The clock on the mantle indicated it was well past noon.
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Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 8/10
- Agility: 8/10
- Perception: 9/10
- Stamina: 8/10
- Charm: 8/10
- Luck: 9/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl MAX)
- Rifle (Lvl MAX)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl MAX)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl MAX)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl MAX)
- Sneaking (Lvl MAX)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl MAX)
- Poker (Lvl MAX)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl MAX)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl MAX)
- Dead Eye (Lvl MAX)
- Bow (Lvl MAX)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl MAX)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl MAX)
- Crafting (Lvl MAX)
- Persuasion (Lvl MAX)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl MAX)
- Teaching (Lvl MAX)
- Trilingual Language Proficiency - G, I, & C (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 100x100x100)
- Acting (Lvl MAX)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX)
- Drugs Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Business (Lvl MAX)
- Leadership (Lvl MAX)
Money: 2,772 dollars and 60 cents
Inventory: 283,392 dollars and 61 cents, 11 gold nuggets, 74 gold bars, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 Colm's Schofields, 1 land deed (Parcel), 1 Mauser, 1 Semi Auto Pistol, 1 Lancaster Repeater, 1 Old Wood Jewelry Box, 1 F.F Mausoleum small brass key, 1 Ruby, 1 Broken Pirate Sword, 1 Milton's Safety Deposit Key, Proof Of Marlin-Thorne Firearms Co., 10 Dynamites, 1 LeMat, 1 M1899, 1 Carcano, 1 Ownership deed of Doyle's Tavern, 3 Diamonds, & Important Documents & Deeds Of Cornwall
Bank: -