Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Magnificent... 8?	By : SisterWine Category: M through R > Magnificent Seven Views: 1621 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: MGM Home Entertainment and Mirisch Corp. own the Magnificent Seven. I make no claim to the series or characters. The other characters in the story, are mine.

Chapter List
- 1-Magnificent... 8?
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Part Four
- 5-Part Five
- 6-Part Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Chapter 8
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 5
- 6
- 7
Mary knocked on Lyla's door at half past three. "Lyla, it's Mary Travis and Chris Larabee. May we come in?" It was quiet for a moment and then something knocked over with a thud, from inside. Mary knocked again. "Lyla? Are you alright?" Mary met eyes with Chris and stepped back as he drew his gun and reached for the door.
Chris turned the knob and eased the door open, careful to make sure Lyla had not been in the way. "Lyla? Lyla, it's Chris." Taking a step into the room, he quickly panned the room and sighed in relief. Giving the signal to Mary that it was alright to enter, he holstered his gun and stepped cautiously over to where Lyla sat, on the floor, feeling around herself for the wash basin and pitcher she had knocked over. "Lyla? Are you alright?" Helping her up and back over to sit on the bed while Mary picked up the pitcher and basin and stand, Chris looked her over for anything out of the ordinary.
"I'm fne. I guess I must have slipped." Lyla smiled but was more embarrassed than anything else. Her cheeks blushed as her hand nervously went to a curl in her hair. He smelled clean, and like fresh soap. She smiled as he sat down next to her, on the bed. "How is Jesse?" She had finally found her courage enough to calm herself and ask the question aloud. "I'd like to talk to him, if I could?" She looked up and in the general direction of Chris, listening to him breathe.
Chris looked over at Mary, who took the chair, next to the uprighted stand and basin for water. When he looked back, Lyla was facing him, almost looking at him. "Jesse's doin' fine, Lyla. I have a few questions to ask you, if you don't mind?" He had been caught off guard by her amber eyes.
Lyla shook her head. "Why do you bother, so much?" She had been confused since the first time Chris questioned her about Jesse and his father. "You don't think Jesse's guilty, do you?" She swallowed, in hopes he would confirm her theory. "Please, Mister Larabee, will you help him?" With conviction in her eyes, she pleaded as best as she was able to, knowing the chance it might fall on deaf ears. The room was silent. Sounds from horses and individuals talking seemed far away. The sounds of boots of people walking up and down the halls became too much and had frightened Lyla in the silence. She had thought Charlie would come through the door and try and talk her out of her infatuation with Jesse, again.
Beforehand, Chris had talked to Mary about her thoughts, updating her on what he and Vin had learned from the young outlaw. For the most part, she had agreed to help with Jesse and Lyla's troubles but worry stopped her from completely committing. She had come to find Lyla a sweet, young woman who may or may not have found her own soulmate.
"Lyla, does Charlie have anything, other than you being with him, against Jesse?" Chris had decided to give a direct approach. He glanced over at Mary with a look of dread and thought that Lyla might have been pushed into the middle of a war between the two men.
Sighing, heavily, Lyla placed a hand on her forehead and thought. Shaking her head and replacing her hands in her lap, she hadn't quite thought of anything off the top of her head. "I don't know. Charlie would pull me away from Jesse, when I'd visit."
"How did you meet Jesse, Lyla?" Mary asked, her voice soft and low.
Lyla blushed and smiled, bending her head to cover the redness in her cheeks. "When I got back from my schoolin', the other passenger that was with me, was claimed by her sister, who was waiting for her. The coachman helped me out of the coach and onto the walkway to wait for Charlie. I thought I heard him walking towards me so, I turned around and ran into Jesse. Knocked him to the ground. I told him I was sorry and that I didn't see him. He laughed. After that, he'd call to me and tell me that he was sneaking up on me." She smiled and laughed as she thought back. "He was the only one to see me for who I am and not treat me like I'm a toddler. Jesse has helped me with cooking and cleaning and dressing myself and how to do things for myself. I can ride a horse and plant a garden. All of these things, Charlie would tell me I would hurt myself. Jesse has never let me get hurt. Sure, a few scrapes and bumps on the head or knee but, I can do things by myself."
Taking in her answers, Chris turned to look at the door and listen to outside footsteps. "Thank you for answering our questions, Lyla. I have just one more." Chris turned back and observed how innocent she had been and how scared and lonely the sheriff had made her feel. "The dress Jesse bought, in Willow Ridge, was that to be your wedding gown?"
"Um," Lyla felt nervous and terrified to answer. "Jesse said it was a white dress with pretty lace sleeves. I didn't have the chance to wear it. Do I have to give it back?" Her expression changed from scared to confused and then to distressed. Her breathing became short as she feared what Chris would say.
"Lyla, Jesse told us about the marriage you and he have." Chris's voice was soft and uncharacteristically comforting. Though, when he told her that they knew, Lyla pulled away and became very frightened.
Lyla's eyes widened and she shook her head and recoiling back, into the headboard of her bed, fear overwhelmed Lyla, almost to the point of being inconsolable. "Does Charlie know, too? He'll kill Jesse! That- that morning, Jesse was--" Anxiety had taken over before Chris could correct himself on just who knew what. Tears ran down her cheeks, sobbing became louder and she tried desperately to wipe them away.
Mary pushed herself off of her chair and knelt at Lyla's feet. "Lyla, calm down. What Chris meant was that Jesse told Vin and Chris and myself. The sheriff doesn't know about you and Jesse being married. But, if you want,--" Mary looked up at Chris and met his eyes. It had gone as she feared and Lyla was believing the worst but not for herself, for Jesse. Touching Lyla's hand and taking a deep breath, Mary tried again to console the young woman.
"Jesse has asked to see you. The judge arrives tomorrow so, Mary and I thought we would give you two tonight to sort things out. Would you like that?" Chris glanced over at the package that still sat where it had been placed by him. He waited for her to listen to his words. Getting up to walk over and retrieve the package, Chris paused long enough to open the brown paper, it had been wrapped in, and hold it up for Mary to see.
Mary's voice was almost a whisper. "Lyla, do you want to go to Jesse, tonight?"
"Yes." Drying her eyes, Lyla nodded. "Yes."
Chris nodded and brought the dress over to the bed. "Mary's going to help you with your dress. I'm going to go have a talk with Charlie and buy you some time. Alright?"
Nodding again, Lyla stood up and reached out for Chris. "Thank you, Mister Larabee." Resting a hand on his forearm, she smiled when she felt him place a comforting hand over hers before leaving the room to find her brother for a chat.
~~~~~
Chris sat down at the table where the sheriff sat brooding. Setting his bottle of whiskey down on the table, he opened the conversation to the other man. "The judge'll be here tomorrow, to try Jesse for the murder of those three boys, north of town." He observed the younger sheriff's attitude on the subject. Aside from mild interest, the other man seemed undetered from his previous engagement of getting sloshed. Hearing footsteps and looking up to see Buck pull up a chair, they nodded to each other in silent communication.
"Another round, Sheriff?" Buck nodded to the sheriff's half empty glass of beer and glanced over his shoulder to indicated to Inez, one more round and one for himself.
Charlie sipped his beer and narrowed his eyes at both of them. "You boys think Jesse'll come away from this a winner, don'tcha?" Sitting up from his slouched position, he took a deep breath. "This boy ain't nothin' but trouble. Has been since the day he was born. Has no respect for any lawman, or their families. Whatever he's told you, that boy can tell a thousand lies." Concealing a hiccup, Charlie took another drink of his warmed beer. "Well, regardless of what the judge says tomorrow, I'm takin' the boy back to Echo and then, I'm gonna stretch his neck 'til it can't stretch no more."
Buck waited for Inez to set down the new beers and then leave the table before he asked his question. "What if the judge finds him innocent and it was self-defense?"
Sighing and snarling at the dark-haired man, Charlie cleared his throat and grabbed his new glassful. "This judge ain't got the jurisdiction to let that brat off twice." He had made it no secret that he hated Jesse but had been very grateful that Jesse had, inadvertantly, made him sheriff of the town he had always wanted as his own. "You may think I'm biased but, I'm tellin' ya, boys, he's a cold-blooded killer that don't care for no one or nothin'."
"Even cold-blooded killers deserve redemption." Josiah sauntered up and leaned against bar, on the corner, across from where the sheriff, Chris and Buck sat. "We all have a chance to mend our broken ways and find peace in the wrongs we've committed." Josiah had spent the afternoon listening in to Chris's talk with the outlaw and hearing the remorse and anger in Jesse's voice. He had listened and shared insight with the young man on love and family and how it changes, not just a man, but a woman as well.
Charlie shook his head. "Not Jesse. Anyone who murders their own pa, without a second thought, deserve the Hell they get."
"You really don't like him, do you?" Chris sat forward and placed his arms on the table, folded.
Shaking his head, Charlie straightened. "The kid had a sister, Elizabeth. She was a sassy little pistol. One day, Beth was sent to fetch her brother from the Saloon. He played hooky from school to watch his pa play poker. She found him at the game, causin' trouble. One of the players thought the boy was givin' hints to his pa. Jesse said he was just askin' questions."
Josiah rubbed his thumb against the bristly whiskers on his left jawbone. "The boy was curious. We've all been curious, in our lives."
"Your youthful curiosity ever get someone killed?" The sheriff looked up from his beer. "Anyway, one of the players was the sheriff's friend from the war. The boy was a bit insistent and when it became a bit much, the man stood and drew his gun. Sloan tried to calm him down but the boy--.... the boy just laughed. When that barrel was aimed at the kid, his sister stepped in front of him long enough to get a bullet in her gut. She bled out in the sheriff's arms. Sloan arrested his friend while Jesse made no attempt to take the blame, for any of it."
Chris took another sip of his drink. "Sloan tell you that?"
"I was there. Saw everything. A month later, on the boy's 13th birthday, the deputy Sloan had was killed in a stage accident. I decided to quit wanderin' and put down some roots so, I took the spot. The brat did nothin' but make jokes AND get his sister killed. He ain't so cute and innocent, now, is he?" Charlie shook his head and stared at his beer, as if learning a deep secret from it. "When that boy started lookin' at my sister, with that twinkle in his eye, there ain't no way I'd let him kill her, too."
Thinking about what the sheriff had devulged of both McCall men and what Jesse had told him, Chris had trouble fitting certain pieces together of both stories. "You blame his sister's death on a young boy who made the mistake of laughing at a game of cards?"
Slamming the half-full glass of beer down on the table, Charlie raised his voice. "If the boy had gone to school, like he was supposed ta be, she'd be still alive! That boy don't care about no one or nothin'! He's a bad seed that shoulda been thrown away the day he was born."
~~~~~
Jesse had been restless since earlier, in the afternoon, when he was informed that the judge would arrive the next morning. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. His breath caught, every time the door to the jail opened. And the moments of complete silence were enough to drive a man insane. He sat on the end of the bed with his back against the wall, legs bent to rest his arms on. With his head back, he sighed and closed his eyes.
JD leaned back in his chair, at his desk, and shuffled a deck of cards that Ezra had unburdened himself of. Forming an idea to make ammends, he looked over to Jesse. "I hear you're quite the card player. You uh, wanna see if you can beat me?"
Opening his eyes and sighing at the inadvertant insult, Jesse sighed. "I ain't in the mood for beatin' ya."
"You know, Ezra said you were just a fancy-talkin' boy with a big mouth and even bigger ego. But uh- I think yer just a pompous ass!" JD heckled.
Jesse didn't budge. "Is that so? You always believe everything people say? Or, make up your own conclusions?" He knew JD had wanted to get back at him for outdrawing on the last of the seven men, in front of the man he looked up to. Jesse hadn't wanted a rematch or to prove himself but JD's cockiness had proven to be more stubbourn than the man, himself.
JD huffed and stood up, walking outside as Ezra walked in. "Some gunfighter, he is. Can't even prove it from behind them bars." JD mumbled from under his breath and walked to the edge of the walkway and slouched against the post.
"I'm assuming you would be whom the young man is so querulous about?" Ezra looked from JD's back to the man in the cell, still sitting on the bed, indifferent to the situation.
Jesse looked at the gambler in confusion. "Huh?" The change in people had been welcome but he hadn't quite figured out why Ezra had been among the men who captured him. He surmised that Ezra came along for the ride out of lack of excitement from the cards but, he had also been quick on the draw. He had to be, due to the cards he played with. Jesse liked that about the southerner.
"Nevermind." Rolling his eyes, Ezra took the chair at the desk across from where JD had been sitting. He began shuffling a pack of cards that he had just bought and decided to break them in. After ten minutes, he heard movement. The soft, slow and calibrated steps of the young man pacing his cell, anxious of the next day's dealings. "You know, my young Mister McCall, it is an art form how a man 'handles' a deck of cards. The way he," Ezra looked over to find Jesse slowly pacing the length of his cell, "intimately caresses each smoothe paper card. It's almost as if one 'makes love' to such slim and tantilising colours." His hints had only forced a few subtle glances and small sighs of boredom from the captive.
Jesse continued to pace his cell. "Like I told him, I ain't interested in playin' cards."
"Then, perhaps, another form of entertainment might be in order?" Ezra turned his head to see Vin walk through the open doorway, escorting a young woman in a tan duster that seemed too oversized for her small frame. He smiled at the young woman and nodded to Vin.
Pausing in midpace, Jesse took a double look at the young woman in the duster. His mouth opened as he realised it Vin had escorted Lyla to the jail, in the dress he had bought for her. He had been awestruck and amased and dumbfounded at the same time. Jesse panted as Vin reached for the keys that hung on the nail in the post, just outside the outer cell door. "Lyla?"
A smile adorned Lyla's lips. She blushed from excitement of hearing her husband's voice. "Jesse?"
"Back up, Jesse." Vin spoke quietly as he raised the key to the lock.
Jesse backed up but only a few steps, eager to receive his bride. "Is this a joke?" He looked at Vin, in question, as he opened the door and took Lyla by the arm and led her inside. He waited for her to get completely inside the cell before reaching out to her and pulling her to him, kissing her lips with passion. He had three inches on her but had rarely paid attention to height.
Vin nodded and stood at the door to the cell. "Thirty minutes, Jesse. That's all we can give you."
"Jesse? What's going on?" Lyla raised her head as if to look at him.
Looking into distant, amber eyes, Jesse glanced over at Vin, who remained standing at the cell door. "Lyla, they know about us, darlin. And um," he looked back own at her, bringing her hand up to kiss it, "Lyla, you know I love, you. With all my heart. Do uh, do you wanna be with me, in here? I know this ain't what I was wantin' this to be like and I'm sorry but,--" He was silenced by her kiss as her answer.
Lyla smiled as a tear streamed down her cheek. "Yes. Yes, Jesse. I want to be with you. I don't care where it is."
Jesse's breath caught with her answer and as he swallowed, he pulled her to him, looking over her shoulder at Vin, mouthing the words "thank you" as the tracker closed the door and locked it before ushering Ezra and JD out of the room. They had been kind enough to close the blinds before leaving them in private. Jesse pulled back and helped her out of the duster she had borrowed from Buck. At second glance, he saw that she wore the dress he had bought for her. "You look so pretty, darlin. I saw it and I just knew it'd fit you perfect."
"Do you like it? Mrs. Travis helped me get dressed and curled my hair and Mister Larabee and Mister Wilmington helped me with the coat." She smiled brightly. She could feel the lace and light satin touches of the white, subtle bridal gown. With a low-cut neckline with lace bodice and sleeves and skirt that had been altered slightly to fit, her hand went to her satin collar and then, nervously, to her fresh curls. She wished she could see herself but had a clear picture of what Jesse saw, in her mind.
Nodding and staring uncontrollably, Jesse smiled. "You look beautiful, Lyla." Taking a breath and glancing at the closed office door, he looked back at her. "Darlin, we ain't got much time." Walking her over to the cot and helping her to sit down, he sat down beside her and kissed her cheek. He hadn't wanted to rush things but had no choice. A hand went to her soft brown hair, taking in the feel of it. "I love you, Lyla. I wanted to grow old, with you, and have babies and a ranch and whatever your little heart desires." Carefully, he helped her to lie down with her head on the pillow.
Reaching her hands up to his face, Lyla pulled him into another kiss as she felt his hands gently raise her skirt. Nervously, her fingers trailed down his chest and paused as she came to his trouser buttons. Unfastening the buttons with shaky hands, they kissed again as her hand was covered with his, helping her place him at her entrance. Lyla gasped softly as the head of his firm manhood eased into her tight opening. She had been a little scared that the door would open and someone would drag them apart, again, but Jesse calmed her with a soft kiss and slow push in.
Jesse could feel her fingers grip his hips, nestling themselves under his clothes and digging into his soft skin, gasping as he felt her squeeze him, indicating she wanted him deeper. He kissed her collarbone and shifted for better momentum. He panted and raised a hand to her lace-covered breast. Burying himself into her and starting a slow rhythm, his lips brushed her ear and he whispered, "I love you, Lyla." He smiled again as she reciprocated her love to him. His pace picked up and after a few minutes more, he could feel himself getting tired. "I can't hold out, much longer, Lyla. Please, darlin." Leaning down, his lips brushed over her left breast as his hand pushed the material upwards, exposing her firm midriff. He continued his movements and moaned, gritting his teeth in attempt to hold out a little longer.
Lyla moved her hands to his shoulders and shifted her legs, feeling him deep within her, she bit her lower lip and gasped as she felt him come, briefly. "I want you, Jesse." Gasping loudly as his pace quickened again, she held tightly to him and closed her eyes as his breath caught one last time before coming inside her. She heard his ragged panting close to her ear and jumped when she heard the tap on the glass window. For a brief time, she had forgotten where they were and hadn't wanted to give up the feeling of it being just the two of them.
When Jesse fnished, he removed himself and righted their clothing before laying down with her for a moment, to relax. Placing a hand on her stomach, he kissed her cheek and then her lips as he whispered, "you'll make a fine momma, darlin." Kissing her again, he felt her fingers curl themselves into his golden blond hair. Sweat dampened the locks at his temples, a drop tracing a line at his lawbone before dripping onto her shoulder. He turned and looked over his shoulder as the door opened and Vin stepped in, head bowed as not to see any misplacement.
"Sorry, Jess. Time's up."
Sighing, Jesse turned back to Lyla, who had closed her eyes and nuzzled his chest. "Darlin, it's time to go back to your room, now." Easing out of her arms as she disagreed and held tighter to him, Jesse's heart sank. "Lyla. I know you don't wanna go, darlin, but.... you need to go and get some rest, for our baby. He's gonna need a strong momma to care for him." He swallowed as Vin turned the key in the cell door. It took all of his remaining strength to stand and help Lyla to her feet, feeling her crush against him, one last time and reach for the duster to drape over her shoulders. "I'll be alright, darlin. Don't you worry about me. I love you." Holding her close and smelling her sweet, clean hair, he kissed her and then turned away as Vin and Ezra quickly escorted her out of the jail and down the street, to the hotel.
~~~~~
Jesse stood there, in front of the judge, steeling himself against the cold tone of the makeshift courtroom. He swallowed but his mouth had gone dry. So dry, he felt like he had swallowed a mouthful of sawdust. To his left, stood the newly-appointed sheriff. To his right, stood the twelve-man jury of his peers. Each time he looked over, he saw townspeople that yelled and clawed and lunged at him. Yet, he stood there, in chains that grew heavier and choked the life out of him with each passing moment.
The judge in the trial had come from the neighbouring town of Slide Rock. He had taken special interest in the case due to being a very good friend of Sloan McCall's. But, that hadn't made the decision over the younger McCall any easier. The man's voice had been deeper and less distinguishable that Jesse remembered. "You were just a boy, when we met. Now, that you're a grown man, it saddens me to see you standing before me as a prisoner and murderer of a man- who was not only the sheriff of this small but friendly town- but who was also your father. One argument should never warrant such hostilities against your own kin, Jesse."
Jesse shook his head and tried to speak but no words came from his mouth. Looking from the jury to the judge to the sheriff, Jesse saw only monsters. Each time he glanced over, Sheriff Drake had changed, ever so slightly. He couldn't tell if it had been his mind or if the new sheriff really had been as evil as he remembered. His breath caught in his throat, refusing air. Jesse felt as if he were drowning with no water around him. Again, he looked at the judge and tried desperately to tell his side of the story but nothing came out. His feet felt like mud and his movements like thick molasses.
"Don't you dare talk back to me, boy!" Sloan had grabbed his arm and yanked him around from turning and walking away. His swift hand had come crashing down on Jesse's left cheek, leaving a red mark on his already bruised jaw.
Jesse had hit the floor with a heavy thud. He had been dazed and his head spun from the hit. Looking up at the sillhoetted man that was his father, a voice came to his ears, laughing.
"Should always listen to your Pa, boy." Long, deep, drawn out laughter erupted from everywhere around Jesse. Deputy Drake stood in the doorway of the McCall ranch, his Winchester draped over his right arm. They both had been drinking but Charlie Drake had done the pouring and taunting of Sloan. With each passing hour, he had given Sloan more ammunition against his absent wife and a hard-headed son. He had earned a fast friendship with the sheriff in the few months of his deputyhood.
Jesse pushed himself up, off of the floor and backed away from his drunken father. "I wasn't talkin' back, Papa. I don't think you need that whisky." He had gone from a man of 18 to a child of 13 in a matter of seconds. A shiver raced down his spine, causing his right arm to twitch uncontrollably. Terror envoloped him and he felt he would wet himself, again. For his third night, he had done the smallest thing wrong or had said something about the war that had touched a nerve in his father.
"I think the boy needs to learn some manners, still." Drake laughed and took another sloppy drink from the bottle of mostly-gone whisky.
Jesse's arm hurt under his father's crushing grip. His eyes widened as he saw Sloan reach for the rein, he had just purchased to replace the old, worn out one that had broken earlier in the month. "No, please!" As he had been shoved against his bedroom wall, Jesse found himself standing, once again, before the judge that held his fate.
The judge's voice had been much more deeper and sinister than before as the gavel banged compliance on the table. "Jesse Duell McCall, this court finds you guilty of murder in the first degree and hereby sentences you to death. Your sentence will be carried out, the day after tomorrow. Come dawn, on that day, you will be taken, from the jail, to the tallest tree and there, you'll be hung from the neck until you are dead..... dead.... DEAD!" The courtroom erupted with laughter and screams of joy as the judge, himself, beared close resemblance to the Devil.
Heart pounding in his chest, Jesse woke up with a start. Sweat soaked his clothing. His breathing had become ragged and painful as he sat up to gather himself. His chest and back ached as he looked around him to find himself in his ceel but, not the cell he had thought he was in. The settings had changed and so had the men's faces who were guarding him. His eyes met with Buck's, as the man sat across the room, watching Jesse in his animated sleep. He had struggled to get away from someone only he could see and hear and that had intrigued the older man. Jesse felt ill.
"You alright, son? You look like you've seen a ghost." Buck asked, concerned for the young man.
Still panting, Jesse nodded and laid back down, rolling over, away from Buck. His eyes closed but he refused to let sleep claim him. He heard the door open and Chris's footsteps on the floorboards. Chris and Buck chatted about Jesse and the evening and the coming morning, with the judge's arrival. Silently, Jesse prayed the day went by quickly.

Continued.
- 5
- 6
- 7
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Magnificent... 8?