Coming to an End

Disclaimer: not mine, never will be. Just borrowing for entertainment purposes.

Parts: One (very short)

Description: this was my response to the M7 challenge page's challenge to write a story from the villain's point of view. As I was still depressed over what had happened in NYC, I think I got a bit maudlin. Anyways, it's short and, I hope, interesting. I decided to use an established villain – Stuart James.

Notes: Takes place during the New Law, when Stuart James and Guy Royal are waiting for word from Earl on how well he cleared out Four Corners.

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He looked up slowly as Guy Royal paced, measuring the man with aged blue eyes that had already given up. It was not that he wanted to see it all come to an end, nor that he would stop fighting for what he saw to be his land and his rights, but in his heart he already knew.

It was over.

The days of open spaces, of solitary riders, of cowboys ranging the fields -- they were gone. What had been endless plains where all one had to worry about were the occasional Indian raid or bear fight were now being fitted and scarred with rail lines and roads. Everyday the smell of people became stronger.

Not long to go now.

With a tired hand he lifted his gnarled hand to his face, scratching at the gray stubble that was omnipresent on his chin. Blinking slowly, very slowly, he sighed and considered telling Royal to sit down. The businessman's constant pacing was getting on his nerves.

Well, truth be told, Royal got on his nerves. Frenetic upstart with less brains and more evil in him than a rabid coyote. Still, rather the enemy you know than the faceless droves that would surely come as that invading "town" got bigger.

That damn town. Why did they have to come here? The land was so beautiful before, untouched. He could lead his cattle or horses through and admire the sunset with seeing black coal chimney smoke blocking his view, choking his animals. There was no human trash everywhere, no trampling horses or wagons trespassing on his lands, ruining the fields for planting or grazing, no government trying to get money from him for schools that he didn't want. Couldn't they get it? He didn't want a damn school, cause he doesn't want anyone else to come here! Especially not children. Most of 'em would die out here in this environment, and the rest would grow up and start claiming more land away from him. More land away from the land. They'll build fences and put of wire and....

But it was no use thinking about. It was already too late. There were more women in that town everyday. He'd told Royal he didn't want the women and children hurt and that was true. All he wanted was them gone. Gone forever. All of them. Send 'em back East where they belonged.

But he could tell they'd already lost. That Earl fellow that Royal found, he was probably dead by now. Sure Royal said those seven men guarding the town were gone and, for a time, he'd hoped it was true. But hope is fleeting in the face of reality. Always is.

They were odd, those seven men. They should have been like him, but they weren't. He'd seen them, met them, and measured them, just like he measured Royal. They were cowboys, drifters and loners of the old stock, of his stock, but they had chosen the town and its new life over the old ways. They had seemed like men who lived by their own codes of honor, like him, but it must all have been an act. Their honor was the government, the laws of judges and lawyers, not the honor of men. They had no idea what they were giving up by choosing the town over freedom. Fools.

"James!" Royal shouted, stopping finally and peering out of the front of the ranch towards the town. "I think I see some riders coming. We'll find out soon enough how well we've razed the town!" He grinned wickedly and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Behind him, the grizzled man rolled his eyes.

"It's already too late," he said somberly, limping to stand next to the taller man. Royal gave him a dark look.

"Don't be a fool, old man. We've won! How could we lose?"

Stuart James just stared at him, not blinking or even moving. After a while Royal broke eye contact and turned to peer back out towards the direction of town. James lowered his head and scuffed his lame foot.

Royal didn't get it. He would soon.

Limping back to his chair, James sat back down and stared down at his feet in front of him.

He wondered if part of the reason he disliked Royal so much was because the man was always moving. He himself never moved except when he had to. Royal was already pacing again.

But then, maybe that was because, as with all the old things and ways and times, he was also already gone.

Already dead.

Already forgotten.

Pale blue eyes shut, and Stuart James resigned as one of the resident villains of Four Corners.
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The End.

Odd piece I know. Of course Stuart James is a villain, and his "concern" for the women and children was clearly superfluous when one considers his treatment of his female servant at the beginning of the New Law, but I thought to see if I could get into his thinking anyway. :)